Chris McCosky

"This is a good team. We’re a little battered right now, a little beat up, and we’re having to answer a lot of questions about the frustrating side of this sport." --AJ Hinch after Tigers lose fourth straight detroitnews.com/story/sports/m… via @detroitnews

Burch Smith will open ahead of Ty Madden Saturday

Royals tie it up in three batters against Kyle Finnegan in the eighth. No outs.

Montero won't be going through the pocket of five lefties a third time. But he was good again 6 IP 3 H 1 ER 1 BB 4 K 71 pitches 44 strikes

Well, when you are struggling to score runs, you have to push the envelope. Joey Cora waved Dillon Dingler home, trying to score from first on Wenceel Perez's double. Relay throw from Bobby Witt, Jr., beat him to the plate, but catcher Carter Jensen muffed it. 2-1 Tigers

Tigers have worked Bubic for four walks. Three of them erased on fielder's choice ground balls. Bubic has induced eight ground ball outs so far.

Keider Montero, stout. He's allowed two hits in five innings. He's set down 10 straight. He's at 54 pitches. Tigers, meanwhile, have had base runners in every inning v. Kris Bubic, one run.

A six-pitch third inning for Keider Montero. Useful. He's at 30 pitches...

Royals lefties having good swings on Keider Montero's knuckle-curve so far. Pasquantino hit a bullet that Vierling ran down, Jac Caglianone just hit one off the fence in right

Riley Greene doubles to extend on-base streak to 19 games. Tigers have the game's longest active extra-base hit streak, too, 37 games

Looked like Matt Vierling might have cut his angle too short, but he tracked Vinnie Pasquantino's line drive right to the wall in right-center, made a pretty courageous catch running right to the wall.

Troy Melton threw 3 perfect innings with 5 K's tonight in his second rehab start for Single-A Lakeland vs. St. Lucie. 27 pitches, 22 strikes. Fastball averaged 95.4 mph, topped out at 96.4. 9 whiffs in 19 swings. Fanned the side in order in 3rd.

Tigers' offense lulling last six games: K. McGonigle -- 3 for 23 S. Torkelson -- 2 for 20, 11K K. Carpenter -- 2 for 15, 6K

Tigers throw a lifeline to veteran RHP Carl Edwards Jr. detroitnews.com/story/sports/m… via @detroitnews

Tigers throwing a lifeline to former Cub RHP Carl Edwards, Jr., 34. Signed to minors deal, per MLB transactions.

Why the Tigers re-signed Zack Short; plus injury updates on Mize, Vest, Verlander, Melton, Brieske detroitnews.com/story/sports/m… via @detroitnews

About the Zack Short/Jace Jung swap. Short can play shortstop. Jung can't. This allows Hinch to use McGonigle at third against LHP. Defensive upgrade on that side. And Hao-Yu Lee is considered the better defender at second. McKinstry will start v RHP

“Everyone is going to want to talk about a timeline. Everyone is racing to a lot of people who are throwing out timelines and the reality is, the most important step for him is the one right in front of him." --AJ Hinch detroitnews.com/story/sports/m… via @detroitnews

Tigers tonight