Verlander Looks For 4th Straight Win Over K.C.
KANSAS CITY, MO. - The Kansas City Royals don't need to be told how well Justin Verlander has pitched this season - they have seen it firsthand.
Verlander tries to win his fourth straight start both overall and against the Royals when he takes the mound for the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers on Saturday night at Kauffman Stadium.
Making a case to claim his first Cy Young Award, Verlander (15-5, 2.24 ERA) could match CC Sabathia atop the majors with 16 wins if Sabathia doesn't beat Boston earlier Saturday. Verlander came within four outs of his second no-hitter this season Sunday, outpitching fellow Cy Young candidate Jered Weaver while allowing two unearned runs and striking out nine in eight innings of a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels.
"That was a lot of fun," Verlander said. "I'm just happy that I am able to make my pitches."
The right-hander has a 1.88 ERA while winning his last three starts overall and a 1.19 ERA while winning three straight over Kansas City.
He's allowed one earned run and eight hits while striking out 16 in 15 2-3 innings in two 2011 outings against the Royals. Verlander gave up an unearned run and fanned nine in 7 2-3 innings of a 2-1 win July 10 to improve to 7-2 with a 1.62 ERA in 11 career starts at Kauffman Stadium.
"It's the kind of game you expect him to throw," said Kansas City's Jeff Francis, who took the loss in that contest. "He's a tough pitcher."
Despite blowing a three-run lead, Detroit (60-52) won 4-3 in 10 innings Friday to begin a stretch of 38 games that includes 31 against AL Central opponents. The Tigers have a four-game lead over Cleveland in the division.
"The team got the win and that's the biggest thing," said starter Rick Porcello, who allowed all three runs in the seventh inning. "We got the win and started the series off to a good start. That's the bottom line."
Brennan Boesch, who hit a go-ahead RBI single in the 10th, had two RBIs as the Tigers beat the Royals for the sixth time in the last seven meetings. Boesch is 10 for 31 with six RBIs his last eight games, and 6 for 14 with five RBIs in his last three at Kansas City.
Billy Butler went 1 for 4 to extend his hitting streak to 11 games as the Royals (48-64) lost for just the third time in eight games.
"We're (16) games under .500, we're just trying to win ballgames," outfielder Alex Gordon told the Royals' official website. "Just playing every day, trying to win every day."
Butler has batted .391 with 19 RBIs during his streak, and .389 (14 for 36) with four doubles and two home runs versus Verlander.
Scheduled Kansas City starter Danny Duffy (3-4, 5.05) is 2-0 in his last three starts but has a 5.74 ERA during that span. He allowed two runs in five innings of a 5-3 win at Cleveland on Sunday.
The rookie left-hander gave up two runs and struck out six in six innings of a 3-1 loss to Detroit on July 7.
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