ifetime against the knuckleballer. ... Toronto is 34-17 when hitting

DETROIT -- Max Scherzer figured he had squandered another lead when Alex Gordons fifth-inning drive sailed down the line in right field. Bret Boone Mariners Jersey . "When that came off the bat, I was sure that thing was gone, and I was stunned when I turned around and realized it had gone foul," Scherzer said. After that reprieve, Scherzer walked Gordon and retired the next two batters to escape a bases-loaded jam, and the Detroit Tigers went on to beat Kansas City 4-2 on Tuesday night to pull within percentage points of the Royals atop the AL Central. Rajai Davis and J.D. Martinez homered for the Tigers, who can sweep the three-game series with a win Wednesday night. Scherzer (16-5) allowed a run and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings. Kansas City was down 3-1 in the fifth when Gordons deep fly to right went just foul with two on. Gordon walked to load the bases with one out, but Salvador Perez lined out and Eric Hosmer struck out. Joe Nathan worked out of another jam in the ninth to earn his 30th save in 36 chances. He allowed two infield singles to start the inning before closing out the game with two strikeouts sandwiched around a picked-off runner. Pinch-runner Jarrod Dyson was the man who was picked off second. "The hardest part about that play was not getting too fired up and throwing the ball away," Nathan said. "We so clearly had him that the only way it was going to get messed up was if I didnt get the ball to (second baseman Ian Kinsler). As it turned out, I didnt even need to make a great throw, but I made a pretty good one anyway." Kansas Citys Jason Vargas (11-8) allowed four runs and six hits in 5 1-3 innings. He struck out six and walked three. Scherzer had allowed 14 earned runs over his previous four starts -- not terrible, but below his standards as the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner. Hes had a hard time protecting leads lately. On Tuesday, the Tigers led 3-0 in the fifth when Omar Infante hit an RBI single for the Royals -- but Scherzer avoided the big inning. Martinez opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the first, and Davis two-run homer in the second made it 3-0. Martinezs 20th homer of the season gave Detroit a 4-1 lead in the fifth. HEAD TO HEAD The Tigers are trying for their fourth straight AL Central title, and the hallmark of this run has been their ability to beat their closest competitors in the division head to head. Last year, Detroit went 15-4 against Cleveland and finished one game ahead of the Indians. The Tigers are 11-4 against the Royals this year, and the race is now in a virtual tie. Detroit has one more win and one more loss than Kansas City -- and the Royals still have to finish a suspended game in which they trail Cleveland 4-2 in the 10th. "You have to be conscious of the standings at this time of the year, but being tied for first doesnt mean a thing when we step on the field (Wednesday)," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. TOO MANY MISTAKES The normally sure-handed Royals made two errors Tuesday after making two in the series opener. Then there was Dysons mistake in the ninth, which eliminated a crucial baserunner. The Royals had men on first and second for the dangerous Gordon, but he struck out. Then Dyson was picked off second. Manager Ned Yost said he was hoping Dyson and fellow pinch-runner Terrance Gore could pull off a double steal. "Dysons the lead runner, Dysons going to find a spot when he can get a jump and go," Yost said. "Gores the tail runner. Hes going to be right behind him." The Tigers arent known for their impressive fielding, but Kinsler made a crucial diving stop to his left on Josh Willinghams grounder in the eighth. The Royals ended up scoring a run that inning, but that was it. TRAINERS ROOM Royals: Yost said he would not have used star closer Greg Holland on Tuesday, but he is close to returning from a triceps injury. ... RHP Liam Hendriks (1-1) is listed as Thursday nights starter against Boston -- LHP Danny Duffy is missing that turn in the rotation because of a sore shoulder. Tigers: Detroit expects RHP Joakim Soria (left oblique strain) to be activated from the disabled list Wednesday. UP NEXT Kansas Citys James Shields (13-7) faces Detroits Rick Porcello (15-10) on Wednesday, although the possibility of rain puts that game in some doubt. Shields is coming off a 1-0 win over the Yankees in New York on Friday. Omar Vizquel Mariners Jersey .Y. -- The "for sale" sign is up at the Buffalo Bills with the hiring of financial and legal advisers who may begin talking with prospective buyers within the next month. Pat Borders Mariners Jersey . So he and his Toronto FC teammates say they will have no problem getting up for their Amway Canadian Championship final against rival Montreal Impact, even if the result doesnt count toward Major League Soccer standings. https://www.cheapmariners.com/775k-hisashi-iwakuma-jersey-mariners.html . Louis Cardinals, the team will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the opening of the SkyDome. Jays legends Jimmy Key and Ernie Whitt, members of playoff and World Series-winning teams of the past, will be on hand for the festivities to look back at what was the beginning of the Jays halcyon years.BALTIMORE -- Every once in a while, Chris Davis conjures memories of last season by effortlessly launching a baseball far over the outfield wall. Davis interrupted his frustrating season with such a moment Saturday, hitting a two-run homer off knuckleballer R.A. Dickey to carry the Baltimore Orioles past the skidding Toronto Blue Jays 3-2. Davis batted .286 with 53 home runs and 138 RBIs last year. This season, hes at .228 with 11 long balls and 33 RBIs. His work ethic, however, remains the same. "Theres no change in my approach. Ive been doing everything I can to try to get back to feeling good in the box," Davis said. "I felt the last couple of days Ive started to click a little bit. Didnt have a lot to show for it." Davis ended an 0-for-9 drought with a drive that put the Orioles up 3-1 in the fifth. "Big home run for the team in the situation, and the individual," teammate Adam Jones said. "Hes been grinding it out." Orioles starter Bud Norris (6-5) gave up one run and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings to win his third straight start. The right-hander extended an impressive run by Orioles starters, who have allowed two runs or fewer in 13 of the last 16 games. "Were all out there to help each other and get better," Norris said. "Right now were kind of cruising." After Toronto closed to 3-2 in the eighth, Zach Britton got three outs for his seventh save. Brett Lawrie had two hits and an RBI for the Blue Jays, who have lost six of eight. The AL East leaders have scored only six runs in those six defeats. "I thought we had pretty good ABs for the most part," catcher Josh Thole said. "Its tough when youre not getting guys in." Dickey (6-5) left with right groin tightness after allowing three runs, two earned, and six hits in 6 2-3 innings. It was the first time this season hes taken a loss when permitting as few as three runs. Dickey felt a twinge after getting Manny Machado out, then left after taking a practice pitch. "I didnt want to jeopardize my next start," Dickey said. "I was probably out of the game after that next batter, anyway. I decided it was probably in everybodys best interest to just call it a day." Toronto nearly got Dickey off the hook. Dan Wilson Jersey. In the seventh, Orioles reliever Darren ODay retired Melky Cabrera on a grounder with two outs and two on. One inning later, Jose Bautista was thrown out in a very close play at the plate while trying to score on a double by Edwin Encarnacion. Left fielder Nelson Cruz retrieved the ball and threw to shortstop J.J. Hardy, who fired the relay to catcher Nick Hundley. "The big play in the game was obviously the relay throw," Davis said. "That was a big hit for Encarnacion and a chance for them to get back into the game and get really good momentum in their dugout." Lawrie followed with an RBI single. The Blue Jays stranded nine and went 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position. "This has been a tough run here so we need to hopefully regroup," Thole said. "Were playing behind every night." With the score 1-all in the fifth, Jones hit a grounder to third. The throw by Juan Francisco bounced past first base, and Jones lightly pushed umpire Hunter Wendelstedt while rounding the bag. The umpire toppled backward onto the infield dirt but was not hurt. Davis followed by hitting a 1-0 pitch over the centre field wall and into the Baltimore bullpen. "We got burned by the home run ball," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. Earlier, Dickey got into trouble in the first inning when Nick Markakis led off with an infield hit and Machado doubled. But Jones, Davis and Cruz followed with popups. In the Toronto second, Norris hit Lawrie with a pitch before walking Thole with the bases loaded. Baltimore tied it in the fourth when Hundley delivered a sacrifice fly following singles by Delmon Young and Ryan Flaherty. NOTES: Toronto DH Adam Lind left with a bruised right foot. ... The Blue Jays activated RHP Sergio Santos (right elbow) from the DL and optioned OF Darin Mastroianni to Triple-A Buffalo. Santos was needed in the bullpen after LHP Brett Cecil left Fridays game with groin tightness. Cecil will rest for a few days before being reevaluated. ... Jones went 0 for 3 against Dickey and is 3 for 22 lifetime against the knuckleballer. ... Toronto is 34-17 when hitting a HR and 6-13 without one. ' ' '