Offtopic » Manager Ron Gardenhire knew the Detroit Tigers

would take their lumps this season. What has been troubling to him lately is their sloppy play.Outfielders missing cutoff men. Pitchers failing to hold runners on properly. Infielders bobbling grounders. Batters swinging at pitchers out of the zone.The Tigers carry a three-game losing streak into a two-game series at Kansas City. Detroit left-hander Matthew Boyd will oppose right-hander Jacob Junis in the opener on Tuesday.Article continues below ...Gardenhire wants his team to play smarter and sharper.“We’ve got things to work on http://www.bravesfanproshop.com/authentic-bobby-cox-jersey , a lot of things to work on,” he said. “We’re trying to work on it and we’re touching on it just about every time it happens. We make sure we talk to them about it. All those little things will eventually pay off down the road.”Francisco Liriano was originally scheduled to start Tuesday, but Gardenhire shuffled his rotation to accommodate ace Michael Fulmer.Liriano will make a start later in the week because Gardenhire wants Fulmer to pitch every fifth day. Fulmer, who will pitch Wednesday’s matinee, made his first start since the All-Star break on Friday after recovering from an oblique strain.“Our goal here is to keep Fulmer on his five days because he’s coming through this thing,” Gardenhire said. “So we’re just kind of adjusting. Frankie’s one of those guys who can adjust. He’s done it before and he’s a veteran. He doesn’t have too many worries about those things, so we’re going to adjust with him.”Boyd (8-11, 4.09 ERA) held the Chicago White Sox scoreless for six innings in his last start. He also collected a victory in his last visit to Kansas City, giving up two runs in six innings and striking out seven on July 25.Improved control has led to an uptick in Boyd’s effectiveness. In his last nine starts, Boyd has issued just seven walks while striking out 51.In 12 career starts against Kansas City, Boyd is 3-6 with a 6.40 ERA.Junis (6-12, 4.70) has gone winless in his last four starts http://www.bravesfanproshop.com/authentic-bob-uecker-jersey , but he hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in any of them.“It’s been encouraging to have some consistent starts in a row,” Junis told MLB.com. “I was slumping pretty hard, so to bounce back and have some strong ones since the All-Star break, it’s encouraging to finish this season strong.”In his last start at Tampa Bay on Wednesday, Junis pitched 5 2/3 innings and gave up four runs, but only two were earned.“It’s not encouraging, (because) I’ve got a good feeling about Jake, so I don’t need to be encouraged,” Royals manager Ned Yost told MLB.com. “This is what I expect out of Jake. I expect him to go out and make starts like this. I expect him to execute pitches and have a good slider and keep us in the game.”Junis has faced the Tigers more than any other team in his two-year career and consistently given them fits. He is 5-1 in six starts with a 3.44 ERA.The Royals have lost six of their last eight games. TORONTO — The Houston Astros are on the verge of clinching first in the American League West.They moved one step closer by defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 5-3 Monday night in the opener of a three-game series at the Rogers Centre.The 2017 World Series champions own a 4 1/2-game lead over the Oakland Athletics in the division.Article continues below ...They Astros (99-57) will start rookie right-hander Josh James (1-0, 2.81 ERA) Tuesday in the second game. The Blue Jays (71-86) will start right-hander Sam Gaviglio (3-8, 5.16).James has never faced the Blue Jays. He will be making his third start in his fifth big-league appearance.Gaviglio has not won since Aug. 21 and in four starts since is 0-2 with a 6.38 ERA. In two career starts against the Astros, both last season Tyler Flowers Jersey , he is 0-2, 5.25.“I think everybody’s really excited about us closing in on 100 wins, closing in on the division title,” said Astros third baseman Alex Bregman who had an RBI double Monday and has reached base safely in 52 straight road games, a club record. “But there’s only one thing on our minds, that’s winning the World Series again.”In addition to the division race, there were other story lines to the series.One of them received a jolt after the first inning Monday when Blue Jays shortstop Lourdes Gurriel Jr. left the game with a tight left hamstring after hitting into a double play.The 24-year-old Cuban was playing against his older brother Yuli for the first time in the majors Monday and it is not certain whether he will return to play in the series.Yuli, 34, extended his hit streak to 10 games with an RBI single in the first. The Astros first baseman went 2-for-4 and is batting .439 (18-for-41) during his streak.The other story involved Roberto Osuna, the former Blue Jays closer who was booed all during the ninth when he pitched around a single for his 10th save since he was traded to the Astros July 30 and his 19th overall this season. Osuna faces an assault charge that brought a 75-game suspension from major league baseball.“It was really weird,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. “Kind of mixed emotions, but I knew there was a good chance he was probably going to get it done. I’ve seen him do it too many times.”“I think he wanted the save http://www.bravesfanproshop.com/authentic-orlando-cepeda-jersey ,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “I think he wanted the ball like he always does. I’m sure it was emotional for him.”As for the crowd reaction, Hinch said: “It was pretty expected.”Closer, Ken Giles, who was traded by the Astros to the Blue Jays as part of the deal for Osuna, did not pitch Monday.The Astros continued to play without shortstop Carlos Correa Monday. He was shut down during the Astros’ recent homestand with lingering back and oblique tightness. Hinch said the earliest he could return is Wednesday.“He’s feeling a little bit better,” Hinch said. “I’m encouraged by the fact that he’s doing baseball activities and feeling pain-free, which is the key.”The Astros reinstated right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. from the 10-day disabled list Monday and recalled left-hander Reymin Guduan.The Astros are 17-4 during September, the best record in the majors. They are 53-22 away from home, matching their club-record road win total set last season.Houston is 3-1 against Toronto this season. The Blue Jays outhit the Astros 11-10 Monday. It was the second time in as many games that they have lost while outhitting the opposition and the 10th time this season overall.