Doug Fister wasn't aware he set AL strikeout record while on the mound

On Thursday, Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Doug Fister set an American League record when he struck out nine consecutive batters. When asked if he knew if he was making history, Fister replied " "Honestly, I had no idea."

He may not have been aware of the record, but that's not for a lack of effort on the part of his teammates. Fister had the following to say about Prince Fielder, who was trying to let him know what he'd just done during the inning:

"He was yelling at me to step off during the inning, and I kind of looked at him. Normally, he’ll do that, to slow me down, if I’m getting too quick, as an older guy, kind of helping me out."

Fister would end up inducing a groundout to the next batter he'd face, ending his consecutive strikeout streak at nine. That total left him one strikeout short of tying Tom Seaver's major league record of ten which was set in 1970.

Fister found out about the record when he got back into the Tigers' dugout, as did his catcher Alex Avila:

"I didn't even realize it until they announced it. You don't realize those things when you're playing. That's pretty incredible."

While Fister may have just missed the major league record, he and the Tigers took another step towards winning the AL Central title with the victory on Thursday. They'll look to continue their winning ways Friday in Minnesota when they take on the Twins.

2012 MLB standings: Tigers' lead in AL Central grows to 2 games

The Chicago White Sox have lost their grip on the AL Central, and the Detroit Tigers have finally decided to pounce at the opportunity.

Tigers drew more than three million fans to Comerica Park in 2012 regular season

The Tigers topped three million in home attendance in 2012 for the third time in team history.

Royals vs. Tigers: Detroit scores in bottom of the ninth for win

Despite an AL-record nine consecutive strikeouts from Doug Fister, the Detroit Tigers needed to score in the bottom of the ninth to beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 and sweep the series. The win puts the Tigers 1½ games up on the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central, who host the Tampa Bay Rays tonight.

The Tigers got out to an early lead 4-0 lead after two-run first and second innings. Fister maintained the lead by striking out nine straight runners from the fourth through seventh inning. The record nine consecutive strikeouts were just a portion of the 16 straight batters retired by Fister ranging from the end of the second inning through the seventh inning.

In the eighth inning, however, Fister ran into some trouble. Consecutive doubles to open the inning from Mike Moustakas and Jeff Francoeur began a three-run inning for the Royals. The Tigers carried that 4-3 lead into the ninth inning when Billy Butler homered off Joaquin Benoit and tied the game at fours to open the inning. Detroit was able to score in the bottom of the ninth when a bases-loaded Alex Avila grounder scored Don Kelly to give the Tigers the 5-4 victory. Benoit was credited with the win to move to 5-3; Tim Collins (5-4) picked up the loss.

Doug Fister sets AL record with nine consecutive strikeouts

Detroit Tigers pitcher Doug Fister set an AL record by striking out nine consecutive batters against the Kansas City Royals.

Royals vs. Tigers: Detroit seeks a sweep

The Detroit Tigers will go for a sweep of the Kansas City Royals and attempt to maintain sole possession of first place in the AL Central when the two face off in Detroit at 1:05 p.m. The Tigers will send Doug Fister (10-9, 3.43 ERA) to the mound, coming off his best start of the season. Last time out, Fister threw a complete-game shutout against the Minnesota Twins. Fister beat the Royals in his only outing against them this season on July 7.

The Royals will try to get their first win of the series with Luis Mendoza (8-9, 4.44), who also got a win his last time out. Despite only having one win this month, Mendoza has been strong in September, allowing two or less runs in three of his last four starts.

The Tigers' Miguel Cabrera will look to move one step closer to winning baseball's triple crown on Tuesday as well. The slugger currently leads the league in batting average and RBIs, but stands just one HR behind Josh Hamilton.

Royals Vs. Tigers final score: Detroit bullpen comes through in 5-4 win

With five shutout innings from the bullpen, the Detroit Tigers topped the Kansas City Royals 5-4 Wednesday night. Despite a second-inning RBI single by Andy Dirks, the Tigers fell behind 4-1 in the fourth on a home run by Jeff Francoeur. Alex Avila and Austin Jackson homered in the home half of the fourth to tie the game, and the Detroit bullpen took it from there. An eighth-inning fielders choice brought home pinch runner Don Kelly with the winning run.

Detroit starter Rick Porcello completed just four innings, giving up four runs on seven hits. Joaquin Benoit got the win for a scoreless eighth inning, and closer Jose Valverde pitched a perfect ninth for his 32nd save of the season. Kansas City starter Jeremy Guthrie did not factor in the decision despite throwing seven solid innings. Reliever Kelvin Herrera took the loss.

The win gives Detroit a momentary 1/2-game lead in the American League Central. The Chicago White Sox, who entered today tied with the Tigers, are playing Cleveland tonight.

Tigers vs Royals: Rick Porcello attempts to keep Tigers in first in the AL Central

The Detroit Tigers will attempt to beat the Kansas City Royals for the third time in as many nights behind the arm of Rick Porcello tonight at Comerica Park. The Tigers are currently tied for first place in the American League Central with the Chicago White Sox. The White Sox will host the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday night.

Tonight's Tigers lineup will feature:

Austin Jackson

Quintin Berry

Miguel Cabrera

Prince Fielder

Delmon Young

Andy Dirks

Jhonny Peralta

Alex Avila

Omar Infante

Cabrera will also continue his quest for baseball's triple crown as he currently trails Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers by a single home run. Cabrera leads the American league in hitting (.329) and RBIs (133). Cabrera has two hits in five at bats this season against the Royals' Jeremy Guthrie who will start opposite Porcello versus the Tigers on Wednesday night.

2012 MLB Playoff Standings: Tigers chase down White Sox in AL Central race

The Detroit Tigers (82-72) took advantage of the sixth loss in seven games by the Chicago White Sox (82-72) on Tuesday afternoon to secure a share of first place in the AL Central playoff race after beating the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.

A masterful pitching performance by Anibal Sanchez made the Tigers appear primed and ready for a post-season run as they head into the final week of the season with just eight games remaining on the schedule.

The Tigers and White Sox are not only fighting for the division crown but also their playoff lives since the losing team will likely miss out on either of the two AL Wild Card berths. Both teams are currently 4.5 games behind the Oakland Athletics for the second Wild Card spot with the Los Angeles Angels (two games behind) and Tampa Bay Rays (three games behind) still in the way.

Detroit appears to have an advantage in those final eight games with five games against Kansas City and three games at Minnesota. The White Sox face Cleveland four more times but also have a four-game weekend series against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Royals vs. Tigers preview: Detroit tries to keep winning to maintain top spot in AL Central

The Detroit Tigers play the third game of a four-game series against the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night at Comerica Park as they try to remain atop the American League Central standings.

After beating the Royals in the first two games of the series, the Tigers have won three of their last four games to take advantage of a 1-6 slide by the Chicago White Sox and grab a share of the division lead. Both teams remain 4.5 games behind the leaders in the AL Wild Card race.

The Tigers are scheduled to start Rick Porcello (9-12) on the mound against the Royals. The right-hander will try to snap a nasty streak of seven consecutive starts without a win which includes his only no decision among those starts in his last outing when he gave up eight hits and four runs in less than five innings against Cleveland.

The Royal expect to counter with right-handed starter Jeremy Guthrie on the hill. Guthrie has pitched well of late and is 4-0 in his last nine starts as the he's struggled to get run support from the Kansas City offense.

Wednesday's game starts at 7:05 p.m. ET and will air on Fox Sports Detroit.

Royals vs. Tigers: Detroit tied for division lead after beating Kansas City

The Detroit Tigers held on to beat the Kansas City Royals, 2-0 on Tuesday night and move into a tie atop the AL Central standings with the Chicago White Sox.

Taking advantage of a Chicago loss to Cleveland earlier in the day, the Tigers jumped on the Royals for two runs in the first inning to give starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez all of the runs he needed to earn the win for Detroit.

Sanchez pitched a complete-game shut out, as the right-hander only allowed three hits and one walk while striking out 10 Royals in nine innings on the mound. The strong outing earned Sanchez his fourth win of the season for Detroit since coming over from Miami at the trade deadline.

Detroit sluggers Prince Fielder and Delmon Young delivered consecutive run-scoring singles in the first inning to provide the offense for the Tigers.

The Tigers will try to keep rolling at home against the Royals when the two teams resume their four-game series on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. ET.

Royals vs. Tigers lineups: Anibal Sanchez, Detroit hoping to take Game 2

With an ideal chance to tie the Chicago White Sox for first place in the American League Central on Tuesday evening, the Detroit Tigers will look to right-hander Anibal Sanchez in the second game of four-game set with Kansas City.

Detroit batters are expected to face off against a familiar foe in Kansas City's Bruce Chen, a left-hander who held the Tigers to four hits over eight shutout innings back on Aug. 29. Chen currently sports an 11-12 record and an inordinately-high 5.22 earned-run average, but is coming off a strong outing where he also held the White Sox scoreless through 6⅔ innings.

Eager to continue his triple crown pursuit, Tigers' slugger Miguel Cabrera will enter hoping to keep pace with Josh Hamilton for the AL home run lead. Though he missed time with dizziness problems last week, Hamilton smashed his 43rd homer of the season on Monday to officially wrestle one of Cabrera's three categories away for the time being.

Here are Tuesday's starting lineups for both teams:

Tigers
1. Austin Jackson - CF
2. Omar Infante - 2B
3. Miguel Cabrera - 3B
4. Prince Fielder - 1B
5. Delmon Young - DH
6. Andy Dirks - LF
7. Jhonny Peralta - SS
8. Avisail Garcia - RF
9. Gerald Laird - C
Anibal Sanchez - SP

Royals
1. Jarrod Dyson - CF
2. Alcides Escobar - SS
3. Alex Gordon - LF
4. Billy Butler - DH
5. Salvador Perez - C
6. Mike Moustakas - 3B
7. Jeff Francoeur - RF
8. Eric Hosmer - 1B
9. Johnny Giavotella - 2B
Bruce Chen - SP

Jim Leyland earns 600th win as Tigers manager

Detroit manager Jim Leyland earned his 600th win with the Tigers on Monday, making him the third Tigers manager to reach that milestone.

Royals vs. Tigers: Detroit looks to catch Chicago atop the AL Central

The Tigers beat the Royals, 6-2, on Monday, but the White Sox won as well to keep Detroit a game behind Chicago in the AL Central standings. The Tigers will be in action against the Royals again on Tuesday as they look to close the gap atop the division.

Anibal Sanchez will be making the start for the Tigers, and Sanchez has been solid recently for Detroit. He struggled in his last start though, giving up six earned runs in 5⅔ innings of work against Oakland. For the season, Sanchez is 8-13 with a 4.14 ERA, but 3-6 with a 4.55 ERA since being acquired by the Tigers in July.

He'll be facing Bruce Chen (12-8, 3.77 ERA), who has pitched against Detroit three times this year. In his last start against the Tigers, Chen threw eight scoreless innings as the Royals won the game. The Tigers won both of their earlier games against Chen this season.

Tuesday's game is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET at Comerica Park. The division-leading White Sox will be in action earlier in the day, with a first pitch scheduled for 2:10 p.m. ET in Chicago.

For more on the Tigers, be sure to visit Bless You Boys. Additional coverage on the Royals can be found at Royals Review, while Baseball Nation is the place to go for news and analysis from around the league.

Royals Vs. Tigers Final Score: Tigers Win 6-2

The Detroit Tigers knocked off the Kansas City Royals 6-2 on Monday, keeping pace in the MLB playoff race. The win temporarily moves Detroit within a half-game of the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central. Chicago's game is in-progress, meaning Detroit could end the night tied for the AL Central lead or one game back.

Justin Verlander picked up the win for the Tigers, striking out eight batters over eight innings while allowing two runs. Monday's win was Verlander's third in his last three starts and fourth in his last five starts. He was spotted an early 2-0 lead when Prince Fielder hit his 28th home run of the game in the second inning and Alex Avila followed with an RBI double later in the inning.

The Royals got one run back in the fourth inning, but Detroit scored two in the fifth and one more in the sixth inning to extend its lead. Jose Valverde pitched a scoreless ninth inning to finish game. Luke Hochevar took the loss for Kansas City, allowing six runs over 7 ⅓ innings.

The four-game series will continue Tuesday with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET.

For more on the Tigers, be sure to visit Bless You Boys. Additional coverage on the Royals can be found at Royals Review, while Baseball Nation is the place to go for news and analysis from around the league.

Royals Vs. Tigers Lineups: Justin Verlander On The Mound For Detroit In Series Opener

The Detroit Tigers will have Justin Verlander on the hill for their series opener against the Kansas City Royals on Monday night at Comerica Park. Verlander, who sports a 2.74 ERA, looks to get his 16th victory of the season for the Tigers, who entered the day just one game behind the division-leading Chicago White Sox.

Here are the full lineups:

Royals

1. Jarrod Dyson CF
2. Alcides Escobar SS
3. Alex Gordon LF
4. Billy Butler DH
5. Salvador Perez C
6. Mike Moustakas 3B
7. Jeff Francoeur RF
8. Eric Hosmer 1B
9. Johnny Giavotella 2B

Tigers

1. Austin Jackson CF
2. Quintin Berry LF
3. Miguel Cabrera 3B
4. Prince Fielder 1B
5. Delmon Young DH
6. Andy Dirks RF
7. Jhonny Peralta SS
8. Alex Avila C
9. Omar Infante 2B

Luke Hochevar, who is 8-14 with a 5.40 ERA, will be on the mound for Kansas City. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. ET.

For more on the Tigers, be sure to visit Bless You Boys. Additional coverage on the Royals can be found at Royals Review, while Baseball Nation is the place to go for news and analysis from around the league.

Royals Vs. Tigers Preview: Detroit Looks To Snap 2-Game Losing Skid

The Tigers begin a series against Kansas City on Monday.