Duffy, Royals get off to rough start vs. Tigers

DETROIT — The Tigers’ transition from pursuer to pursued in the American League Wild Card race went swimmingly on Friday night. Victor Martinez, Justin Upton and Cameron Maybin all homered off Danny Duffy to provide an early lead for Michael Fulmer, who struck out nine Royals over seven innings for his first win in five weeks with an 8-3 victory at Comerica Park.

Detroit’s fifth consecutive win maintained its half-game lead over Baltimore for the second Wild Card spot.

“I think there’s a little bit of a sense of urgency now,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. “This is our last homestand. This is our last chance at home to try and do something in the standings. … For some reason, maybe I was the only one that felt it, but I thought there was more energy.”

An expected pitching duel between two of the AL ERA leaders never materialized, thanks largely to Detroit’s home-run barrage off Duffy (12-3) in his first loss to an AL Central opponent this season. Upton doubled in a run in the first inning before sending a line drive out to left for his 27th home run in the third, two batters after Martinez hit his 26th.

“I did not execute,” Duffy said. “I cost my team a chance to win today. I just didn’t have it. But I’ll tell you what, I’ll be out there every five days, and be ready to go again.

“[The Tigers] are in it. They’re fighting for a [playoff] spot. You saw it with us last year. They are fighting for their life. They’ve got that hunger. They’re locked in.”

Once Maybin belted a two-run homer to left-center in the fourth, the Tigers had built a six-run lead for Fulmer (11-7), who picked up his first win since a four-hit shutout at Texas on Aug. 14. He struck out four of Kansas City’s first six batters, and nine for the game. Paulo Orlando’s sixth-inning infield single accounted for the lone run.

“There wasn’t a lot of hard contact,” Ausmus said. “He did a nice job, and he was in the strike zone a lot, attacked the hitters. I thought all his pitches were good.”

With the loss, the Royals’ elimination number from postseason …

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