• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Royals-Tigers Preview

Jul 8, 2009 - 5:55 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Kansas City (36-46) at Detroit (44-38), 7:05 p.m. EDT

Since beating the Detroit Tigers in late May, Zack Greinke has shown signs of fatigue. Facing them with a chance to become the AL's first 11-game winner could perk him right up.

On Wednesday night, Kansas City's lone representative for the midseason classic looks to lead the Royals to their first series victory over the Tigers in 2009.

In a 6-1 home win against Detroit on May 26, Greinke (10-4, 2.00 ERA) recorded his major-league leading fifth complete game and improved to 8-1 with a major league-low 0.84 ERA through his first 10 starts.

In seven outings since then, the right-hander is 2-3 and has given up an average of nearly four runs per game, but still leads the majors in ERA. He also enters this contest tied with Toronto's Roy Halladay, Minnesota's Kevin Slowey and Boston's Tim Wakefield for the AL lead in wins, and is one behind Colorado's Jason Marquis for most in the majors.

Greinke failed to add to his total after a 5-0 loss to the visiting Chicago White Sox on Friday. He gave up a season-high tying nine hits and four runs - two earned - over six innings.

Following the loss, he said throwing 121 1-3 innings so far this season is beginning to take its toll. Greinke tossed a career-high 202 1-3 innings in 32 starts last year.

"I'm more tired than usual because I have thrown more than usual," he told the Royals' official Web site. "Every pitcher is tired by now."

Greinke has a pair of complete-game victories this season against Detroit to improve to 3-0 with a 0.36 ERA in his last three starts versus the AL Central rivals. He began that streak by throwing seven innings in a 5-0 victory Sept. 23 at Comerica Park, where he has consecutive victories with a 0.64 ERA.

The Tigers snapped the Royals' three-game win streak and ended a three-game slide with Tuesday's 8-5 victory.

Placido Polanco drove in a season-high four runs with a two-run homer and two run-scoring singles. Marcus Thames hit a three-run shot in the fifth for his third home run in four games, and Miguel Cabrera hit his 17th homer to extend his hitting streak to eight games.

Jim Leyland's club scored as many runs as it did during its losing streak.

"Three-run homers are backbreakers sometimes," Leyland told the Tigers' official Web site.

The Royals (36-47), led by David DeJesus' three hits and three RBIs, has tallied 21 runs in its last four games.

Detroit (45-38) will try to win for the ninth time in its last 10 home games as rookie left-hander Luke French (0-0, 2.35) makes his second career start. French allowed two runs over 4 2-3 innings on Friday in Minnesota, but did not factor in the 11-9, 16-inning win.

The Tigers are searching for their third consecutive series win against Kansas City and have taken five of eight games this season.