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You hate to say every time Big Game James Shields pitches is a big game, but this is a big game. The Royals had their pants pulled down on national television by the bullies on the street corner, and another humiliation today could cause these fragile domes to crumble for good. James Shields dominated the Tigers the last time he faced them to salvage a series and give the Royals some breathing room, he'll be asked to do the same today.
Max "Crazy Eyes" Scherzer faces the Royals for the fourth time this year. He had the infamous "never-ending inning game", but he has allowed just one run over 14 1/3 innings in the other two starts, including a win back in Detroit on September 9. Max has a 10-5 record in 20 career starts against the Royals with a 3.78 ERA.
Alex Gordon owns Scherzer to the tune of a .389/.511/.750 with 3 home runs and 9 walks in 45 plate appearances. Billy Butler has struggled to hit Max, hitting .264/.291/.321. Mike Moustakas is hitting .161/.161/.290 against him in 30 plate appearances, which seems to be about what he's hitting for the year.
LINE UP!
#Tigers lineup: Kinsler 2b, Hunter rf, Cabrera 1b, VMart dh, JDMart lf, Castellanos 3b, Suarez ss, Holaday c, Davis cf. Scherzer p.
— Jason Beck (@beckjason) September 20, 2014
Chase The Devil Lineup: Escobar 6, Aoki 9, Willingham DH, Gordon 7, Perez 2, Hosmer 3, Infante 4, Moustakas 5, Dyson 8, Shields 1. #royals
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) September 20, 2014