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Tigers-Royals Preview

Sep 4, 2010 - 5:40 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Detroit (66-68) at Kansas City (56-77), 7:10 p.m. EDT

Rick Porcello's confidence has been evident during two straight dominant outings. The young right-hander may have reason to feel even more self-assured if Miguel Cabrera can return to the lineup Saturday night against the Kansas City Royals.

Cabrera, a candidate for the AL MVP award, left in the sixth inning of Thursday's win over Minnesota with left biceps tendinitis and was held out of the opener of this three-game series Friday.

Without him, the Tigers (67-68) were limited to two hits over the first six innings, but rallied to take a lead on Ryan Raburn's homer in the eighth. Alex Gordon, however, answered with a solo shot in that inning, and Detroit finally prevailed after scoring four times in the 11th for a 9-5 win.

It was the club's third consecutive extra-inning game.

"It's been a long couple of days," said second baseman Will Rhymes, who hit a two-run triple in the 11th. "Fortunately, we found a way to come out on top."

Raburn has batted .351 with nine homers and 21 RBIs in his last 24 games, but Detroit would also love to have Cabrera's .336 average, 33 homers and major league-leading 108 RBIs back in the lineup.

When the Tigers first baseman will return is uncertain, but Cabrera is eager to get on the field. He has hit .351 with 14 HRs and 43 RBIs in 50 career games against the Royals.

"Give me a whole day," Cabrera told the team's official website. "If I'm feeling better (Saturday), I'll play."

Cabrera's presence could provide a boost to Porcello (7-11, 5.20 ERA), who has posted a 0.64 ERA during back-to-back wins.

The right-hander got off to strong starts in each outing, retiring the first 12 batters in a 9-1 win over Kansas City (56-78) on Aug. 24 and the first 11 during a 10-4 victory over Toronto on Sunday.

He has given up two earned runs or fewer in four of his last five starts.

"I just think he's got his confidence more," manager Jim Leyland told the team's official website after Porcello's latest performance. "I think he had a bit of an air about him when he took the mound today. I thought he had a real good presence about him."

Kansas City's Bruce Chen (9-7, 4.76) turned in one of his best outings amid six August starts Sunday, allowing two runs over six innings of a 6-2 win in Cleveland. The left-hander went 4-2 with a 4.64 ERA during the month.

Chen didn't make it out of the fifth inning in his previous start, giving up five runs in a 12-3 loss to Detroit on Aug. 23.

Chen, on the verge of his second season with double-digit victories, has gone 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA in two starts versus the Tigers this year and has a 6.92 ERA in nine career outings against them.

Porcello is 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA in two matchups with the Royals in 2010.

Cabrera is 6 for 10 with two home runs against Chen.

Kansas City shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt has 22 RBIs in his last 23 games.