Royals at Tigers
The Kansas City Royals needed an error in the ninth to push across the winning run in the second game of a doubleheader at Detroit on Friday, but it lifted a huge weight off them. The Royals ended a nine-game losing streak with a 3-2 win and have a chance to post back-to-back victories for the first time when they continue their four-game series against the Tigers on Saturday afternoon.
Kansas City was battered for 31 runs in a three-game sweep at Toronto but received a pair of superb pitching efforts Friday, getting 17 innings from its two starters to give its beleaguered bullpen some much-needed rest. Mike Moustakas also homered in the opener and added a single in the nightcap to extend his hitting streak to 12 games for the Royals. Detroit made it a season-high four straight wins in dramatic fashion in the opener as JaCoby Jones delivered a walk-off homer in a 3-2 victory. Jones is 7-for-15 with five runs scored during a four-game hitting streak for the Tigers, who mustered 11 hits in the doubleheader.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Kansas City, FS Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals LH Danny Duffy (0-2, 3.86 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Mike Fiers (1-1, 3.86)
Duffy is coming off his best start of the season but had nothing to show for it despite striking out eight and blanking Toronto on two hits over six innings in a no-decision Tuesday. He will be coming be off three days' rest against an opponent he has faced the most in his career, posting a 7-8 record and 4.03 ERA in 22 appearances (19 starts). Victor Martinez has roughed up Duffy, going 15-for-39 with three homers and six RBIs.
Fiers had a stellar season debut on the road against the Chicago White Sox on April 8, tossing six scoreless innings of three-hit ball to pick up the victory. But the Florida native was pounded for six runs on eight hits, including two homers, over 5 2/3 innings in a home loss to the New York Yankees last time out. Moustakas is 4-for-8 and Alcides Escobar 5-for-13 against Fiers, who is 1-3 with 4.78 ERA in five career starts versus Kansas City.
WALK-OFFS
1. Royals INF-OF Whit Merrifield is 5-for-13 with two homers in his last three games.
2. Martinez was 0-for-7 in the doubleheader after hitting safely in the previous five games.
3. Moustakas hit his 124th career homer to tie Danny Tartabull for 10th on the franchise all-time list.