Royals at Tigers
The top teams in the American League Central meet for the second weekend
in a row when Kansas City invades Detroit for the first of three games
Friday night. The Royals, after losing 13 of 19 meetings a year ago,
took the first two games of a four-game series with the Tigers last week before
dropping the final two over the weekend.
Kansas City rebounded to grab two of three against Cleveland, capped by a 7-4 triumph Thursday afternoon hours after Detroit salvaged the finale of its series against the Chicago White Sox with a 4-1 victory. David Price gets the start Friday for the Tigers, looking to build upon a five-hit masterpiece in a 2-1 win over the Royals last Saturday for his 12th career complete game. Kansas City turns to Yordano Ventura, who will be pitching for the first time since April 29 after serving a seven-game suspension for his role in a brawl at Chicago last month. Once this series is complete, the division rivals will not meet again until Aug. 4-6.
TV: 7:08 p.m. ET, FSN Kansas City, FSN Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Yordano Ventura (2-2, 4.94 ERA) vs. Tigers LH David Price (3-1, 2.93)
During an emotionally charged first month in which he has mixed it up with opponents in three of his five outings, Ventura has been inconsistent thus far. He is 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA in two starts against the White Sox while going 1-2 with a 7.53 mark against three other opponents. The 23-year-old, who walked four while fanning just one in his most recent outing at Cleveland, won his only prior start at Detroit and is 2-0 with a 3.12 ERA in his career against the Tigers.
Price's gem six days ago came in his second start since a dismal effort against the New York Yankees on April 22, when he gave up eight runs in 2 1/3 innings. Excluding that one poor outing, the former Cy Young Award winner is 3-0 with a sterling 1.19 ERA and 30 strikeouts against seven walks. He is 2-0 with a 1.16 mark in five games (four starts) in his career against Kansas City.
WALK-OFFS
1. Detroit SS Jose Iglesias (groin) is expected to be out until at least Saturday.
2. Royals LF Alex Gordon is hitless in 10 career at-bats against Price.
3. Tigers DH Victor Martinez went 5-for-8 with a home run and five RBIs over the final two games of the Chicago series.