A rematch of a July 2 pitching matchup is on tap as the Detroit Tigers and the host Kansas City Royals square off for the sixth time in the past 12 days on Tuesday night.
Detroit’s Beau Brieske (2-6, 4.16 ERA) again will face Kansas City’s Kris Bubic (1-6, 6.84) in the third game of a four-game series.
The Royals won both ends of a doubleheader against the Tigers on Monday.
Kansas City took the first game 3-1 behind seven solid innings from Brad Keller, who gave up one run on three hits with a season-high eight strikeouts.
In the nightcap, Bobby Witt Jr. had his first career four-hit game during the Royals’ 7-3 victory. The top three hitters in the Kansas City lineup — all rookies — went a combined 7-for-11 with four RBIs, three walks and three runs.
After winning a home series for the first time since April 29-May 1 over the weekend, the Royals already have clinched a winning homestand.
Neither Brieske nor Bubic was involved in the decision when they squared off earlier this month.
Brieske allowed three runs on six hits in six innings. He walked three and struck out three. Bubic gave up two runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings while walking three and fanning four. The Tigers came from behind with back-to-back solo home runs in the ninth by Victor Reyes and Riley Greene to claim a 4-3 victory.
In his latest outing, Thursday at Houston, Bubic allowed three runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings. Two hits were home runs in a three-run fifth inning that turned an outstanding outing into a losing effort.
Walks were the biggest culprit, as they have been since Bubic returned to the majors on June 4. While he struck out five, he walked six.
“He came out of the gate really good,” Kansas City manager Mike Matheny said after the game. “The walks hurt him. When you’re walking the bottom of the lineup, it gives it a whole different look. A couple of good hitters took advantage of the ballpark. He shouldn’t have been in that part of the lineup at that point.
“He has to continue to understand how his aggressiveness will be beneficial to him. When you’re facing a team that’s really hot, with some guys who can swing it, you still have to keep them off balance.”
Bubic is 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA in seven career games (six starts) against Detroit. The July 2 outing was Brieske’s first appearance against the Royals.
Brieske has won two of his past three decisions and has made back-to-back quality starts for the first time. He got a victory in his latest start, allowing just two hits in 6 1/3 scoreless innings against the host Chicago White Sox on Thursday. The 24-year-old rookie walked one and struck out four.
Brieske retired the first seven batters he faced and 15 of the first 16. He carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Josh Harrison broke it up with a single.
“I feel like I executed the sinker better than I have all year,” Brieske said. “I was able to throw it for strikes and get it in on the hands so we could get some weak contact.”
–Field Level Media