photo by: Jose Juarez/AP Photo

Kansas City Royals manager Mike Matheny walks back to the dugout after removing starting pitcher Jakob Junis during the third inning of the team's baseball game against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, in Detroit.

DETROIT — Miguel Cabrera hit a homer and a double to help the Detroit Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals 6-0 on Tuesday night.

Matthew Boyd (2-6) bounced back from a rough outing with a strong performance, throwing five-plus scoreless innings and giving up just two hits. Boyd allowed seven runs over three-plus innings in his previous start as Milwaukee beat Detroit 19-0 last week.

Jakob Junis (0-2) started in place of Danny Duffy, who missed the team’s flight to Detroit. Junis gave up five runs and seven hits over 2 1-3 innings.

Detroit had lost three straight and 10 of its last 13 games. Kansas City had won six straight.

The rebuilding Tigers (21-26) and last-place Royals (20-29) are the two teams in the AL Central with losing records, making developing prospects even more of a priority during the pandemic-shortened season.

Kansas City failed to capitalize on a good chance to score in the first inning when Whit Merrifield led off with a double and reached third on a stolen base with one out. Merrifield did not score on a play at the plate in which he did not slide after Salvador Perez hit a grounder to drawn-in shortstop Willi Castro.

Niko Goodrum, in his first at-bat after being on the 10-day injured list, hit an RBI single in the first. Jorge Bonifacio, released last year by Kansas City, followed with a two-run double to give Detroit a 3-0 lead.

That was plenty of support for Boyd, who struck out five and walked four. His 105-pitch outing ended with two on and two outs in the sixth and Edward Olivares hit into an inning-ending groundout.

On the move

Royals: IF Matt Reynolds cleared outright waivers and was sent to Triple-A.

Tigers: C Grayson Greiner was optioned to to the team’s alternate training site and C Eric Haase was recalled from Toledo, Ohio.

Trainer’s room

Royals: RHP Matt Harvey left the game after the team’s athletic trainer visited the mound in the sixth. Harvey struck out the first two batters he faced before giving up a homer, double and single.

Tigers: Infielder Jonathan Schoop was put on the the 10-day DL with a sprained right wrist.

Up next

Royals: Rookie Brady Singer (2-4) is scheduled to start after not giving up a hit until there were two outs in the eighth inning against Cleveland last week.

Tigers: Rookie Tarik Skubal (1-2) is expected to be on the mound after giving up six runs over just two innings against St. Louis.