Tigers at Royals
Salvador Perez's torrid stretch at the plate has the Kansas City Royals starting to resemble the team that hoisted the World Series trophy just over seven months ago. The World Series MVP looks to continue his feverish pace as the Royals vie for their sixth consecutive win on Thursday, when they open a four-game series versus the visiting Detroit Tigers.
Perez belted a three-run homer Wednesday to help Kansas City complete a three-game sweep of Cleveland with a 9-4 victory. The 26-year-old Venezuelan has gone deep in back-to-back contests and is 13-for-28 with four blasts in his last seven games heading into a date with Thursday starter Justin Verlander, against whom he is an impressive 21-for-44 in his career. While the Royals have won nine in a row at home to pull even with the Indians atop the American League Central, Detroit resides two games back as it enters the final leg of a 10-game road trip. Jose Iglesias extended his hitting streak to 13 games by launching a two-run homer in Wednesday's 5-3 setback to the Chicago White Sox and recorded four hits against Kansas City in the teams' initial series from April 19-21.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Detroit, FSN Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Justin Verlander (6-5, 3.77) vs. Royals LH Danny Duffy (2-1, 2.94)
Verlander eclipsed last season's win total on Saturday after allowing one run and five hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 6-1 rout of the New York Yankees. The 2011 American League MVP and Cy Young Award winner has permitted just 10 runs and 23 hits in his last five outings (36 1/3 innings), posting a 4-1 record in that stretch. Verlander kept the ball in the park in all but one of those contests and has surrendered just 14 homers in 38 career meetings with Kansas City en route to notching a scintillating 20-8 mark.
Duffy has fared well since leaving the bullpen, as evidenced by Saturday's 10-strikeout performance in six scoreless innings of a 4-1 victory over the White Sox. The 27-year-old is 2-1 in his last three starts (18 1/3 frames) after allowing just five runs and 15 hits - although three left the park. Duffy hasn't received much run support in his outings versus Detroit, posting a 3-6 record despite having a 3.09 ERA while limiting the Tigers to just a .206 batting average.
WALK-OFFS
1. Detroit 2B Ian Kinsler has registered three homers, nine RBIs and seven runs scored during his six-game hitting streak.
2. Kansas City 2B Whit Merrifield is 8-for-18 with six runs scored in his last four contests.
3. Tigers RF J.D. Martinez is 15-for-27 with six doubles during his seven-game hitting streak.