• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Tigers resume chase of first place in clash with Royals

Jul 9, 2011 - 2:42 PM (Sports Network) - Hoping to finish atop the AL Central standings at the All- Star break, the Detroit Tigers continue a four-game series with the Kansas City Royals tonight at Kauffman Stadium.

The Tigers are just a half-game back of Cleveland for first place in the division, while Kansas City is dead last in that standings and 12 games off the pace.

Slated to make just his second start of the season for Detroit is Charlie Furbush, who is 1-2 with a 3.08 ERA. A 25-year-old lefty, Furbush is a 6- foot-5 hurler with 22 strikeouts in 26 1/3 innings of action to date. He lasted just 4 2/3 innings against the Angels on Monday and surrendered three earned runs on five hits.

Furbush has never faced the Royals in his career.

Righty Luke Hochevar will make his 19th start of the season and hopes this one will be better than the last. On Sunday against Colorado, Hochevar surrendered five earned runs in 4 1/3 innings of action. The hurler is now 5-8 with a 5.17 ERA.

Hochevar is 1-1 this season against Detroit and is 3-4 lifetime against the Tigers with a 4.41 ERA.

Yesterday, Magglio Ordonez belted a two-run home run and Andy Dirks went 3- for-5 with a run batted in as the Tigers held on for a 6-4 win over the Royals in the second installment of a four-game series.

Brennan Boesch, Victor Martinez and Jhonny Peralta also drove in runs for Detroit, which has won three in a row.

During the game, Peralta was named to the American League All-Star team, replacing the Yankees' Derek Jeter.

Rick Porcello (8-6) allowed three runs -- one earned -- on six hits over 5 1/3 innings to get the win. He also struck out five while walking one.

Jose Valverde ran into a little bit of trouble in the ninth inning, but was able to record his 23rd save.

"He'll make it interesting sometimes, but he gets the job done," Porcello said of his teammate. "There's nobody else I'd rather have out there. He's doing a great job."

Melky Cabrera went 3-for-4, scored twice and had an RBI for the Royals, who have dropped three of their last five.

Alex Gordon also had three hits and an RBI in the loss, while Kyle Davies (1-8) was touched for five runs on nine hits over six innings in defeat.

Detroit is 5-2 against the Royals this season and has won 11 of the last 16 matchups between the two clubs.