Detroit @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 6, 2015 ) Kansas City 6, Detroit 8

The Kansas City Royals look to avenge a series loss in Detroit last week when they host the American League Central-rival Tigers in the opener of a three-game set on Monday. Kansas City topped Detroit on Tuesday before dropping the final two contests of the showdown by a total of three runs.

The Royals rebounded with three straight one-run triumphs over the Chicago White Sox, including Sunday's victory in which Alex Rios scored on Omar Infante's fielder's choice in the eighth inning to snap a 4-4 tie. The first-place Royals own an 11 1/2-game lead over Minnesota and are 12 1/2 ahead of Detroit, which lost the rubber match of its three-game set with Boston on Sunday to complete a 3-3 homestand. Rookie Jefry Marte kept things close in the seventh inning with his third homer in 16 major-league contests before the Tigers yielded four in the eighth en route to their second 7-2 loss in the series. Detroit's pitching staff has surrendered a total of 26 runs in its last four contests but is 2-2 in that span.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, ESPN, FSN Detroit, FSN Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Matt Boyd (1-2, 7.90 ERA) vs. Royals RH Johnny Cueto (7-7, 2.69)

Boyd will be making his fourth career start and second straight against Kansas City. The 24-year-old native of Washington, who made his major-league debut with Toronto earlier this season before being acquired in the deal for David Price, notched his first victory on Wednesday after limiting the Royals to one run in seven innings. Boyd lost both of his outings with the Blue Jays, surrendering a total of 11 runs over 6 2/3 frames.

Cueto remains in search of his first win since being obtained in a trade with Cincinnati. The 29-year-old Dominican settled for a no-decision at Toronto in his debut with Kansas City after allowing three runs in six innings before suffering a hard-luck loss to Boyd in Detroit, where he gave up two runs over seven frames. Cueto yielded three runs in 5 1/3 innings on June 17 in his first career outing versus the Tigers but did not figure in the decision.

WALK-OFFS

1. Kansas City DH Kendrys Morales belted a two-run homer Sunday, marking the third time in four games he drove in a pair of runs and making him the first Royal to reach the 80-RBI mark in 110 contests since Jermaine Dye and Mike Sweeney both accomplished the feat in 2000.

2. Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera, who has been sidelined since July 3, is expected to run the bases before Tuesday's game to test the progress of his strained left calf.

3. Kansas City is 29-18 against division rivals but just 5-5 versus Detroit.

PREDICTION: Royals 8, Tigers 3