Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Max Scherzer spun 7 2/3 scoreless innings and Brennan Boesch doubled in two runs to push Detroit past Kansas City, 4-2, in the rubber match of a three-game set.
Scherzer (12-10) allowed two hits, both to Gregor Blanco, walked two and fanned eight to grab his career-high 12th win for the Tigers, who have won five of their last six games.
Ryan Perry and Phil Coke combined to get the last four outs, though the Tigers' shutout bid ended with a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth by Billy Butler, who extended his hitting streak to a season-high eight games.
Kyle Davies (8-11) went the distance in defeat, allowing four runs on seven hits while issuing one walk and striking out six over eight innings for the Royals, who have lost four of their last six contests.
Blanco doubled with one out in the first and stole third base, but was left stranded when Scherzer struck out Mike Aviles and Butler to end the threat. From there, the right-hander faced the minimum in each of the next five frames.
Davies retired the first 12 batters he faced before running into trouble in the fifth.
Miguel Cabrera singled to start the inning and moved to second on Ryan Raburn's one-out single. Boesch then delivered both runners with a double to center to get the scoring started.
Boesch moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Brandon Inge's base hit past a drawn-in infield to make it a 3-0 contest.
Blanco bunted for a base hit to start the seventh, ending a stretch of 11 in a row retired. He advanced to second base on a throwing error by Scherzer, who again worked out of the jam. Scherzer retired the next three hitters and stranded Blanco at second base.
Ryan Perry took over for Scherzer with a runner at first and two down in the eighth and struck out Lucas May to end the inning.
The Tigers added their final run in the eighth when Austin Jackson scored on a double to left by Johnny Damon.
Coke took over to start the ninth and Blanco singled with one out, but was forced out at second on an Aviles grounder. Butler then belted his long ball before Wilson Betemit struck out to end the game.
Game Notes
Scherzer has now gone at least six innings in 20 of his 30 turns this year, including 17 of the last 20...He is 6-2 over his last 10 starts at home since June 20 and 8-4 in 15 career starts at Comerica Park...Scherzer now has 181 strikeouts and has teamed with Justin Verlander (198) to become the first Tigers' starting duo to record 175 strikeouts in a season since Mickey Lolich and Joe Coleman in 1974...The Royals are now 9-10 in rubber games and have dropped five of their last six...Davies is 2-2 in four starts against the Tigers this season and 3-8 in 12 career turns against them...Butler has 15 hits during his hitting streak...Kansas City is 11-15 in two-run games and 37-44 in games decided by two runs or less.