Royals win 4th straight, blank slumping Tigers 4-0

<p>DETROIT &mdash; Danny Duffy pitched five scoreless innings, and the Kansas City Royals kept Detroit’s offense quiet again in a 4-0 victory over the Tigers on Sunday.</p>
<p>A day after the Royals prevailed 2-1 in a game that took 2 hours, 10 minutes, Duffy (3-1) allowed four hits while striking out eight. He’s allowed one earned run in 23 innings so far this season.</p>
<p>Hunter Dozier hit a solo homer for the AL Central-leading Royals, who have won four straight. Kansas City has allowed only three runs through the first three games of this series.</p>
<p>Detroit starter Michael Fulmer yielded one hit in three scoreless innings, but reliever Tarik Skubal (0-3) gave up runs in the fifth and sixth. The Tigers have lost nine of 10.</p>
<p>Michael A. Taylor singled to lead off the fifth and went to second on a sacrifice bunt. He then stole third and came home on a bloop single by Whit Merrifield.</p>
<p>Dozier homered an inning later to make it 2-0. Carlos Santana added a two-run single in the ninth.</p>
<p>Merrifield had two of Kansas City’s four stolen bases on the day.</p>
<p>The Royals clinched their first series victory at Comerica Park since Sept. 4-6, 2017, and they have now won a four-game series at Detroit for the first time since June 16-19, 2014. </p>
<p>TRAINER’S ROOM</p>
<p>Tigers: C Wilson Ramos appeared to have an issue with his right hand after a wild pitch in the sixth, but he remained in the game. … 1B Miguel Cabrera (left biceps strain) was reinstated from the injured list. He went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts and made an error in the field. Manager A.J. Hinch said Cabrera would have a couple scheduled off days on the team’s upcoming road trip.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>The Tigers send Spencer Turnbull (1-0) to the mound for Monday’s series finale against Kansas City’s Brad Keller (1-2). Keller retired just five of the 13 batters he faced in his most recent start Tuesday.</p>
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