Kansas City @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 30, 2011 ) Kansas City 1, Detroit 2

THE STORY: The Detroit Tigers needed some heroics from an unlikely source in order to avoid dropping another game in the standings. Ramon Santiago’s walk-off blast in the 10th inning Tuesday ensured that the Tigers would keep their five-game lead in the American League Central over the White Sox. Detroit has a series against second-place Chicago looming this weekend. For the Kansas City Royals, the homer represented another missed opportunity for a young, learning team. The host Tigers will be looking to take advantage of the lowly Royals once again when Rick Porcello takes the mound Wednesday afternoon.

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, FS Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Rick Porcello (12-8, 5.01 ERA) vs. Royals RH Felipe Paulino (2-6, 3.83 ERA).

Porcello bounced back from a rough stretch to earn a win at Minnesota on Friday, yielding one run in 6 1/3 innings. The 22-year-old righthander had allowed 17 earned runs in 13 1/3 innings over his previous three starts. Porcello has faced Kansas City three times already this season, going 1-1 with a 4.86 ERA. Paulino was a tough-luck loser last time out despite yielding only two runs in 6 2/3 innings. The 27-year-old has made a strong impression with the Royals since joining the rotation and has surrendered three earned runs or less in four of his last six turns. He posted a quality start against Detroit on Aug. 5, allowing three runs in 6 2/3 innings, but did not factor in the decision.

ABOUT THE TIGERS (74-61): It has been starting pitching that has been the big question for Detroit this season, with the team struggling to find consistent work from anyone other than Justin Verlander. Doug Fister, imported from the Seattle Mariners prior to the trade deadline, has been the best of the rest over the last month and turned in a gem Tuesday. The righthander took a perfect game into the seventh inning and ended up yielding one run in 7 2/3 innings. Unfortunately the Tigers could not get their bats going early enough to get Fister the win. But after manufacturing the tying run in the eighth, Detroit found a way to grab the win behind Santiago. The blast helped avoid a three-game losing streak and kept the Tigers comfortably ahead of the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians.

ABOUT THE ROYALS (56-80): Kansas City was staring down its first three-game winning streak in well over a month when the bullpen let it down. Greg Holland, working his second inning of relief, was left in by manager Ned Yost in the eighth with runners at the corners. One of several rookies that Yost is attempting to guide through the season, Holland ended up yielding the tying run and fellow rookie Aaron Crow surrendered the game-winning blast. Dealing with failure is a lesson the Kansas City youth has been learning well this season. Tuesday’s loss robbed the Royals of a chance to jump out of last place in the Central.

FINAL PITCH: The Royals are getting close to shutting down rookie lefthander Danny Duffy and possibly Jeff Francis as well in early September. Duffy, who is scheduled to start the series finale Thursday, has thrown 136 innings combined between Kansas City and Triple A Omaha and will be shut down at around 150. Francis, who is up to 168 2/3 innings after his start Tuesday, pitched only 119 last season after making his way back from arm surgery.