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Tigers aim for fifth straight win

Jul 20, 2007 - 2:46 PM Kansas City (41-53) at Detroit (57-36) 7:05 pm EDT

DETROIT (Ticker) -- With the best record in the major leagues in hand, the Detroit Tigers will host their division rival, the Kansas City Royals, in the first of three games on Friday.

Kenny Rogers (3-1, 2.82 ERA), who has been solid after missing the first 11 weeks of the season due to of a blood clot in his shoulder, will look to recover from his first on-field setback that snapped his three-game winning streak to start the season.

The lefthander allowed five earned runs and five hits over five frames on Saturday in a 6-4 loss to the Seattle Mariners, his first setback since losing to Kansas City last October 1.

Rogers, however, has a solid track record against the Royals, going 20-14 with a 3.82 ERA in 53 games - including 32 starts - against them. He has a career-best 21 wins against Oakland, and can tie that Friday.

The Tigers enter this contest on a four-game winning streak, as their 4-3 win on Thursday wrapped up a three-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins.

Gil Meche (6-6, 3.69) looks to get his first win against Detroit this season when he takes the mound. He surrendered six runs and eight hits - including three homers - in seven frames to absorb his first loss as a Royal in a 6-5 loss to the Tigers on April 7.

Meche is 5-4 with a 3.89 ERA in 13 starts lifetime against Detroit.

The righthander is targeting his fourth straight winning decision, after allowing four runs and eight hits in five innings of a 6-5 win over the Cleveland Indians on Saturday.