Even the Tigers can spot Royals' contagious energy
The Kansas City Royals are in position to establish their longest home win streak in 12 years Tuesday night.
Yordano Ventura will try to provide a better outing than last week's start against Detroit in his quick rematch with the Tigers.
Kansas City's 4-0 win in Monday's series opener was its 15th in 18 games at Kauffman Stadium and sixth in a row. The Royals (67-44) haven't taken seven straight at home since a franchise-best 11-0 start in 2003.
Kansas City will also seek a fifth straight win overall, which would move it 24 games above .500 for the first time since it was 91-67 on Sept. 27, 1989.
"They have the energy, and it's carrying over. It's contagious," Detroit infielder Andrew Romine said. "Their entire dugout seems to have it."
The Royals, though, are sending out a starter who hasn't been at his sharpest lately in Ventura (6-7, 5.29 ERA). The right-hander has allowed 11 runs in 12 innings in his past two starts and matched a career high by giving up six runs in five innings in Detroit on Thursday.
The Royals scored three runs in the seventh to help him avoid his second loss in five starts since returning from ulnar nerve issues July 9, but they fell 8-6 on Ian Kinsler's walkoff two-run homer.
Ventura, who is 3-1 with a 6.75 ERA since coming back from the disabled list, has no record and an 8.18 ERA in two starts against the Tigers (54-58) this season, both in Detroit.
"This is one of the first years where I've gone through a struggle and haven't been able to get hitters out as consistently as I'm used to," he told MLB's official website through an interpreter. "It's been tough. I'm just trying to find ways to improve and do things better that aren't working out."
Anibal Sanchez (10-9, 4.82) will pitch opposite of Ventura again and seek his first win in four starts. The right-hander is 0-2 with a 6.50 ERA in his past three after going 7-0 with a 3.16 ERA in his previous eight outings.
Sanchez gave up four runs in six-plus innings Thursday and is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in his last two starts against Kansas City. He has a 2.11 ERA in winning his last three starts at Kauffman, however, throwing 7 1-3 innings of three-run ball in his only 2015 outing there on May 3.
Eric Hosmer, one of MLB's hottest hitters in the second half, is 4 for 9 with two doubles against Sanchez this season. He's batting .409 with a 1.074 OPS and 17 RBIs in 25 games since the All-Star break, going 7 for 14 in four games against the Tigers.
Kinsler, hitting .489 with a 1.210 OPS in his last 11 contests, is 4 for 6 with one double against Ventura this season. Victor Martinez homered twice off him in last week's game while driving in a season-high five runs.
