Detroit Tigers vs Kansas City Royals: Game 68 Preview & Lineup

\ Jun 17, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Kansas City Royals shortstop

(2) receives congratulations from teammates after scoring in the second inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Tigers (36-31) vs. Kansas City Royals (38-32) — 1:08 PM EDT

Comerica Park — Detroit, MI

TV: Fox Sports Detroit

Radio: 97.1 The Ticket (click for radio affiliates)

Weather: 78 degrees, chance of storms

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The FIRST PLACE Kansas City Royals look to extend their lead on the Detroit Tigers in the third game of four this afternoon in Detroit. What a difference a month makes. One month ago, the Tigers stood at 27-12, in first place by seven games. Today they look like they may never win consistently again and have fallen a half game behind the Royals, winners of nine straight games.

When We Last Met

The game was pretty much over when Max Scherzer threw 50 pitches and allowed seven runs in the second inning. All told, Scherzer would be tagged with a career-high 10 runs. The Tigers put up some meaningless offense numbers and dropped the game 11-4, meaning that the duo of Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer have allowed 17 runs in the last two games and the entire pitching staff has yielded 21. Remember when people were saying the Royals couldn’t compete because of their offense? Yeah….

Pitching Matchup

redit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

So the Tigers look to Drew Smyly (3-5, 3.58) to stop their latest skid and get back into first place. After a rough stretch, Drew has turned it around recently. The left hander has allowed one earned run in each of his last two starts, including being the hard-luck loser when he allowed one run on four hits in a 2-0 loss to Minnesota on Friday. Smyly was equally brilliant in his start in Kansas City on May 3, allowing just two hits and no runs in the 9-2 Tigers’ victory.

Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Jeremy Guthrie (3-6, 4.04) picked up a win in his last outing, when he allowed two runs on six hits over 5 2/3 innings against the White Sox on Friday. It snapped a three-game skid for the veteran and was his first win since May 9. In between those wins, Guthrie was 0-6 with five no-decisions. He has yet to face Detroit this season.

Tigers Lineup

1. Rajai Davis-LF
2. Ian Kinsler-2B
3. Miguel Cabrera-DH
4. Victor Martinez-1B
5. J.D. Martinez-RF
6. Alex Avila-C
7. Nick Castellanos-3B
8. Don Kelly-CF
9. Eugenio Suarez-SS

Injuries

Detroit Tigers

• Torii Hunter — Doubtful
• Luke Putkonen – Out indefinitely
• Joel Hanrahan – Out indefinitely
• Andy Dirks – 60-day DL
• Jose Iglesias – Out for season
• Bruce Rondon – Out for season

Kansas City Royals

• Bruce Chen — 15-day DL
• Danny Valencia — 15-day DL
• Luke Hochevar — Out for season