KANSAS CITY -- Billy Butler got Justin Verlander again. The way the Tigers' weekend visit unfolded, Butler's sixth-inning single was the one victory the Royals could claim for the series.It broke up Verlander's bid at a third career no-hitter. By that point, he would have needed to give up a whole lot more for the Royals to break up a three-game sweep. Verlander finished with seven innings of three-run ball, supported by home runs from Nick Castellanos and Alex Avila, as the Tigers cruised to a 9-4 win on Sunday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium. 
The Tigers outscored the Royals by a 26-7 margin over the series to finish 5-0 over their week-long road trip. Their 17-9 record marks their best start to a season since 2006. Five of those wins have come in as many games against Kansas City, which entered the season as a potential challenger to Detroit's run of three straight American League Central titles.It's early, but the Tigers are starting to build a gap, now 4 1/2 games ahead of the second-place White Sox. They're the only team in the AL Central with a winning record, and they own the longest winning streak in the AL.By taking the first two games of the series behind seven-inning performances from back-end starters Rick Porcello and Drew Smyly, Detroit handed the ball to Verlander with a chance to finish off the sweep against a reeling Royals offense. He nearly added an exclamation point.Butler entered Sunday 31-for-71 lifetime against Verlander, including 17-for-32 since 2012. Salvador Perez, meanwhile, was 11-for-24 against Verlander since breaking into the league a few years ago. They loomed in the middle of the order in a lineup without a whole lot of success otherwise against Verlander.Through six innings, however, the only Royals hitter having his way with Verlander was leadoff man Nori Aoki, who drew walks in each of his first three plate appearances. The only other baserunner in that stretch was Alex Gordon, who walked in the fourth as Verlander cursed himself over his full-count pitch after striking out Butler on a nasty slider.Butler and Perez both flied out to deep center field their first times up. Once Perez grounded meekly to first base to end the fourth, the no-hit bid was on.Aoki's leadoff walk in the sixth meant Verlander either needed a double play or had to face Butler with a runner on in the sixth. He struck out ex-teammate Omar Infante and got an Eric Hosmer line drive that hung up long enough for Rajai Davis to run down, setting up a showdown with Butler.Verlander used back-to-back sliders and a curveball to put Butler in a 1-2 count, setting up the fastball. He threw it at 96, but over the plate, and Butler lashed it to right.Verlander (4-1) retired Gordon to maintain the shutout bid, but Perez's leadoff double in the seventh set up a three-run rally punctuated by Jarrod Dyson's two-run triple. Verlander finished with three runs on four hits, walking four and striking out seven.Castellanos and Avila led an 11-hit attack over five innings against Royals starter Jason Vargas, who had flummoxed Tigers hitters for seven innings of one-run ball on April 2 at Comerica Park. Castellanos' fourth homer of the year opened the scoring in the second inning before Miguel Cabrera's two-run double widened the gap in a three-run fourth. Avila's second homer of the series, this one a 418-foot loft to center field, built a 7-0 lead.Jason Beck / MLB.com
The Tigers outscored the Royals by a 26-7 margin over the series to finish 5-0 over their week-long road trip. Their 17-9 record marks their best start to a season since 2006. Five of those wins have come in as many games against Kansas City, which entered the season as a potential challenger to Detroit's run of three straight American League Central titles.It's early, but the Tigers are starting to build a gap, now 4 1/2 games ahead of the second-place White Sox. They're the only team in the AL Central with a winning record, and they own the longest winning streak in the AL.By taking the first two games of the series behind seven-inning performances from back-end starters Rick Porcello and Drew Smyly, Detroit handed the ball to Verlander with a chance to finish off the sweep against a reeling Royals offense. He nearly added an exclamation point.Butler entered Sunday 31-for-71 lifetime against Verlander, including 17-for-32 since 2012. Salvador Perez, meanwhile, was 11-for-24 against Verlander since breaking into the league a few years ago. They loomed in the middle of the order in a lineup without a whole lot of success otherwise against Verlander.Through six innings, however, the only Royals hitter having his way with Verlander was leadoff man Nori Aoki, who drew walks in each of his first three plate appearances. The only other baserunner in that stretch was Alex Gordon, who walked in the fourth as Verlander cursed himself over his full-count pitch after striking out Butler on a nasty slider.Butler and Perez both flied out to deep center field their first times up. Once Perez grounded meekly to first base to end the fourth, the no-hit bid was on.Aoki's leadoff walk in the sixth meant Verlander either needed a double play or had to face Butler with a runner on in the sixth. He struck out ex-teammate Omar Infante and got an Eric Hosmer line drive that hung up long enough for Rajai Davis to run down, setting up a showdown with Butler.Verlander used back-to-back sliders and a curveball to put Butler in a 1-2 count, setting up the fastball. He threw it at 96, but over the plate, and Butler lashed it to right.Verlander (4-1) retired Gordon to maintain the shutout bid, but Perez's leadoff double in the seventh set up a three-run rally punctuated by Jarrod Dyson's two-run triple. Verlander finished with three runs on four hits, walking four and striking out seven.Castellanos and Avila led an 11-hit attack over five innings against Royals starter Jason Vargas, who had flummoxed Tigers hitters for seven innings of one-run ball on April 2 at Comerica Park. Castellanos' fourth homer of the year opened the scoring in the second inning before Miguel Cabrera's two-run double widened the gap in a three-run fourth. Avila's second homer of the series, this one a 418-foot loft to center field, built a 7-0 lead.Jason Beck / MLB.com
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