Tigers at Royals
The Kansas City Royals have turned the American League Central into a one-team race, although they finally found an obstacle that can slow their sprint to a division title. Outfielder Alex Rios and reliever Kelvin Herrera have been infected with chickenpox for the Royals, who continue their three-game series against the visiting Detroit Tigers on Wednesday.
Rios and Herrera were quarantined after they were diagnosed with the virus on Monday and team officials are hopeful that they are the only players infected. “We’re on alert,” trainer Nick Kenney said. “We’ve got our guys knowing that they’ve got to pay attention to what they’re seeing. And if you do see anything, we need to see it and we need to inspect it.” On a positive note, left fielder Alex Gordon returned to the lineup following a seven-week absence and had a pair of hits and a sacrifice fly for Kansas City. Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler, who batted .366 in July and .362 in August, remained hot with a homer and three RBIs as Detroit snapped a four-game losing streak with a 6-5 victory in the series opener.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, FSN Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Randy Wolf (0-2, 2.57 ERA) vs. Royals RH Yordano Ventura (9-7, 4.41)
Wolf has lost each of his two starts since he was acquired from Toronto but has pitched seven innings in both outings. The 39-year-old Californian gave up four runs (three earned) and nine hits in a loss to Texas in his season debut and following that up by yielding one run and five hits in a 2-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. Wolf made his lone career start versus the Royals in June 2012, giving up one run in seven innings.
Ventura continued his second-half revival by striking out a career-high 11 batters and permitting two hits over six scoreless innings in a 5-3 victory over Baltimore last time out. It was the fourth straight quality start for Ventura, who has allowed three runs in that span and is 5-0 over his last seven turns. He overcame six walks to blank the Tigers over six innings on Aug. 10 and improve to 3-0 with a 4.56 ERA against them.
WALK-OFFS
1. Kinsler has 11 RBIs in 14 games against the Royals this season.
2. Royals C Salvador Perez is 8-for-20 during a five-game hitting streak.
3. Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera had a pair of hits Tuesday after going 1-for-14 in his previous four games.