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Tigers looking for first win against Royals

Jul 21, 2008 - 1:56 PM Detroit (49-49) at Kansas City (45-54) 8:10 p.m. EDT

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- The Detroit Tigers have struggled against teams in the American League Central Division this season but none more so than against the Kansas City Royals.

Detroit looks to defeat Kansas City for the first time in seven games this season when the teams open a three-game series on Monday.

The Tigers are 0-6 against the Royals in 2008 and 14-24 against division opponents. Detroit has managed just 11 runs in its losses to Kansas City. The Tigers had gone 25-11 against the Royals over the previous two seasons.

Zach Miner (3-3, 4.23 ERA) will get his first start of the season when he takes the mound for the Tigers. His last start came on May 17, 2007 when he allowed two runs - one earned - in 5 1/3 innings during a loss to Boston.

The 26-year-old righthander is 0-2 in eight games - two starts - with a 8.36 ERA in his career against the Royals.

Kansas City is coming off a series win over the first-place Chicago White Sox over the weekend, winning the last two games of the three-game set.

Luke Hochevar (6-7, 5.10) looks to continue the Royals' momentum when he takes the hill.

The righthander is coming off one of his better starts of the season, allowing one run and five hits over seven innings in Kansas City's 3-1 victory over Seattle on July 11. Hochevar threw six scoreless innings in a win over Detroit on May 14 in his only career start against the Tigers.