DETROIT (AP) – Whit Merrifield homered on the first pitch of the game and the Kansas City Royals led the rest of the way, beating the Detroit Tigers 3-1 on Tuesday night for their seventh consecutive victory.

Danny Duffy (7-6) pitched into the seventh inning for the Royals, who added two runs in the fourth to keep the pressure on in the AL Central race. Kansas City came into the night 1 1/2 games behind first-place Cleveland.

Merrifield homered to left-center off Michael Fulmer (10-8) to open the scoring. Fulmer struck out the next four hitters he faced, and the All-Star right-hander ended up allowing three runs and eight hits in eight sharp innings. He struck out six without a walk.

Duffy allowed a run and six hits in 6 1/3 innings. Three relievers finished, with Kelvin Herrera pitching a perfect ninth for his 21st save in 24 chances.

DETROIT (AP) – Salvador Perez and Mike Moustakas hit consecutive homers in the 12th inning, and the Kansas City Royals won their sixth straight game, 5-3 over the Detroit Tigers on Monday night.

Hours after the Royals helped their pitching staff by acquiring Trevor Cahill and two relievers in a trade with San Diego, Kansas City outlasted the Tigers to stay 1 1/2 games behind first-place Cleveland in the AL Central. Jorge Bonifacio also homered for the Royals, who won despite squandering a 3-0 lead in the sixth.

Jakob Junis (3-2), one of seven relievers used by Kansas City, pitched a hitless 11th for the win. Kelvin Herrera finished for his 20th save in 23 chances.

Drew VerHagen (0-1) took the loss, allowing the homers to Perez and Moustakas in his third inning of work.

KANSAS CITY, Mo, – The Kansas City Royals announced today that they have acquired left-handed pitcher Ryan Buchter and righties Trevor Cahill and Brandon Maurer and from the San Diego Padres in exchange for left-handed pitchers Matt Strahm and Travis Wood, minor league infielder Esteury Ruiz and cash considerations.

Additionally, the club has recalled left-handed pitcher Brian Flynn from Omaha (AAA) for tonight’s 6:10 p.m. CT game in Detroit, and designated right-handed pitchers Al Alburquerque and Luke Farrell for assignment.

Buchter, 30, has made 42 relief appearances with San Diego this season, going 3-3 with a save and a 3.05 ERA (13 ER in 38.1 IP), recording 47 strikeouts. He’s limited left-handed hitters to a .175 average (10-for-57), which is tied for 11th in the National League. The lefty is in his third Major League season, after making a career high 67 appearances for the Padres in 2016, going 3-0 with a 2.86 ERA, with 78 strikeouts in 63.0 innings.

Cahill, 29, has made 11 starts this year for the Padres, going 4-3 with a 3.69 ERA (25 ER in 61.0 IP), collecting 72 strikeouts, compared to 24 walks. He’s held opposing hitters to a .247 average (58-for-235), including a .219 average (23-for-105) by left-handed hitters. His 10.62 strikeouts per 9.0 innings rank sixth among National League hurlers that have made at least 10 starts. He helped the Chicago Cubs win the World Series last season, going 4-4 with a 2.74 ERA (20 ER in 65.2 IP) in 50 appearances, limiting opposing hitters to a .201 average (49-for-244). An All-Star in 2010 with Oakland, Cahill is in his ninth Major League season and is 73-79 with a 4.03 ERA in 273 career appearances, including 185 starts.

Maurer, 27, has served as the Padres’ closer this season, converting 20 of his 23 save opportunities, including 15-straight since May 28. His 20 saves are tied for fifth in the National League, while he’s posted a 1-4 record and a 5.17 ERA (25 ER in 39.1 IP) in 42 appearances this season. Dating back to July 1 of last season, he’s converted 33 of his last 37 save chances, with 12 walks and 63 strikeouts in 70.1 innings. He’s in his fifth Major League season, after debuting with Seattle in 2013. He served as a starter during his rookie year, but has pitched exclusively out of the bullpen since joining San Diego in 2015, making 166 appearances.

Kansas City Royals Release

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brandon Moss hit a game-ending double off Tyler Clippard that lifted the Kansas City Royals over the White Sox 5-4 Sunday, extending Chicago’s longest losing streak in four years to nine games.

Whit Merrifield, Jorge Bonifacio and Eric Hosmer hit consecutive home runs off Derek Holland in the fourth inning for a 3-0 lead, and Merrifield hit another solo shot in the eighth off Dan Jennings to tie the score at 4.

Mike Moustakas singled off Gregory Infante (0-1) leading off the ninth and pinch-runner Lorenzo Cain advanced on a wild pitch. Clippard relieved in his second appearance since he was acquired from the New York Yankees, and Moss doubled.

Kelvin Herrera (3-2) struck out two in a perfect ninth, extending the scoreless streak by the Royals bullpen to 18 innings over five games. Kansas City has won five straight following a skid of seven losses in eight games and went 6-4 on a homestand that included four walkoff wins.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Mike Moustakas homered twice, and Salvador Perez, Brandon Moss and Jorge Bonifacio also went deep to lead the Kansas City Royals over the White Sox 7-2 Saturday night, extending Chicago’s longest losing streak in two years to eight games.

Melky Cabrera had his second four-hit game in a week and gave the White Sox a 2-0 lead with a home run in the third inning and an RBI double in the fifth.

In a game that began with a 99-degree temperature and 112 heat index, Mike Pelfrey took a two-hitter into the sixth but put leadoff man Lorenzo Cain on with his sixth walk. David Holmberg (1-3) relieved, retired Eric Hosmer on a flyout, then gave up three homers in an eight-pitch span.

Perez’s two-run homer tied the score, Moustakas homered two pitches later, Alcides Escobar grounded out and Moss homered for a 4-2 lead, a drive that would have gone 436 feet unimpeded. Whit Merrifield added an RBI single off Juan Minaya.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Whit Merrifield’s sacrifice fly in the 10th inning lifted the Kansas City Royals to a 7-6 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Friday night.

Merrifield flied out to Melky Cabrera to score Alcides Escobar, who led off the inning with a single.

The Royals, who trailed 5-1 after two innings, got their third walk-off victory in five days. The White Sox have lost seven straight and 10 of 11.

Alex Gordon had three hits and drove in three Royals runs, while Merrifield also had a two-run double in the fourth.

Neftali Feliz (1-0), the seventh Kansas City pitcher, picked up the win, throwing seven pitches in a scoreless 10th.

Tyler Clippard (1-6), who was acquired in a Tuesday trade with the New York Yankees, took the loss in his White Sox debut.