starts, Ive found what I really need to be working on and

DETROIT -- Justin Verlander has spent all season trying to recapture the form that made him perhaps the best pitcher in baseball in 2011 and 2012. Now, with another post-season berth in sight, the Detroit right-hander hopes hes finally turning a corner. "It seems like the whole year has been tinkering," Verlander said. "I feel like the last three starts, Ive found what I really need to be working on and focusing on." Verlander pitched effectively into the seventh inning and Prince Fielder homered and drove in three runs to lift the Tigers to a 6-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night. Detroit remained six games ahead of second-place Cleveland in the AL Central and dealt the third-place Royals a setback in the post-season race. Kansas City is one of several teams hoping at least to catch Tampa Bay for a wild card. Verlander (13-11) allowed three runs and nine hits in 6 2-3 innings. Three relievers finished. Joaquin Benoit worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth and got the final four outs for his 19th save in 19 chances. Bruce Chen (7-3) allowed five earned runs and seven hits in 4 1-3 innings. "They had a really good plan going in. They were hacking early," Chen said. "They prepared themselves really well." The Royals, who are trying to make the playoffs for the first time since winning the World Series in 1985, fell 3 1/2 games behind the Rays after this series against the leaders in Kansas Citys division did not start well. Kansas City fell behind 6-1 in the fifth, and although the Royals rallied, Detroits bullpen was able to hold on. With the score 6-3, Detroits Drew Smyly issued a one-out walk to Eric Hosmer in the eighth, then Jose Veras came on and walked Billy Butler on four pitches. After taking ball one, Salvador Perez popped out, but Veras hit Mike Moustakas to load the bases. On came Benoit, who has been excellent since becoming Detroits full-time closer. He struck out David Lough to end the threat. Kansas City left fielder Alex Gordon overran Austin Jacksons leadoff double in the Detroit first for an error, allowing Jackson to advance to third. He scored on Torii Hunters groundout to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead. Kansas City tied it in the fourth on an RBI single by Perez, but Fielders flyball in the bottom of the inning barely cleared the wall in the right-field corner for a two-run shot. It was his 24th homer of the year. Like Verlander, Fielder has had his struggles this season, but he now has 102 RBIs, the sixth time in seven years hes reached 100. "If Im healthy and can play every day, thats what Im really focused on," Fielder said. "When youre out there every day, youve got a chance to do all those things." The tiebreaking home run came after banged-up slugger Miguel Cabrera led off with a double to right-centre that Lough just missed making a sliding catch on. It was Cabreras first extra-base hit since Aug. 26. Detroit added three runs in the fifth. Hunter hit a two-run single, and after an intentional walk to Cabrera, Hunter caught the Royals napping and broke for third. Chen was called for a balk, giving Hunter third and Cabrera second, and Fielders RBI single made it 6-1. Verlander has pitched well in 2013, just not up to the terrific standard he set the previous two years. The Tigers are hoping the right-hander will find a groove late this season, and he was breezing along until the Royals rallied with a couple runs in the sixth. Butlers RBI single made it 6-2, and Perez drove in Butler with a double. But Verlander was happy overall after striking out seven without a walk. "I feel like Im pretty doggone close," said Verlander, whose ERA is at 3.66. "I think my stuffs been a lot better. Tonight I made a little bit of an adjustment with my grip on my curveball and that seemed to be working really well for me." NOTES: Cabrera has been bothered lately by a strained abdomen, among other nagging injuries. Detroit manager Jim Leyland said before the game his third baseman looks better now. ... The Tigers sent RHP David Paulino to Houston as the player to be named in the deal that brought Veras to Detroit in July. ... Butler went 2 for 3 off Verlander and is now 30 for 68 (.441) off the Detroit star. ... Kansas Citys bullpen retired all 11 batters it faced, including seven strikeouts. ... Detroit RHP Doug Fister (12-8) faces Kansas City RHP Ervin Santana (8-9) on Saturday night. Custom Hockey Jerseys . Al Harrington, another former Knicks forward, scored 22 of his 24 points after halftime for the Nuggets, allowing them to withstand Anthonys attempt to rally the Knicks after his poor shooting had them behind until the final minutes of regulation. Anthony finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds, missing 20 of 30 shots in the Knicks sixth straight loss. Cyber Monday Hockey Jerseys . Maria Silvia Bastos Marques, president of the EOM (Municipal Olympic Company), will be leaving her post but will remain as an advisor, a city hall statement said Tuesday. https://www.fakehockeyjerseys.com/ . A quick first step to get to the hoop for a layup. A rousing dunk on the break off a high outlet pass saved by teammate Ramon Sessions. Authentic Hockey Jerseys . Louis Cardinals, the team will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the opening of the SkyDome. Jays legends Jimmy Key and Ernie Whitt, members of playoff and World Series-winning teams of the past, will be on hand for the festivities to look back at what was the beginning of the Jays halcyon years. Cheap Hockey Jerseys .ca look back at each of the Top 10 stories of 2013. Today, we look back at LeBron James and the Miami Heat winning their second straight NBA championship. Canada | Czech Republic | Denmark | Finland | Germany Russia | Slovakia | Sweden | Switzerland | United States Goaltenders PLAYER TEAM C HT WT DRAFT Miroslav Svoboda Ocelari Trinec (CZE) L 6-2 176 Undrafted Vitek Vanecek Bili Tygri Liberec (CZE) L 6-0 181 WAS 2014 (39th) Daniel Vladar Rytiri Kladno L 6-5 185 2015 Defence PLAYER TEAM SH HT WT DRAFT Marek Baranek HC Litvinov (CZE) L 6-1 181 Undrafted Lukas Klok Vitkovice Ostrava (CZE) L 6-0 179 Undrafted Jan Kostalek Rimouski (QMJHL) R 6-1 196 WPG 2013 (114th) Dominik Masin Peterborough (OHL) L 6-2 190 TB 2014 (35th) David Nemecek TPS Turku (FIN) L 6-4 209 Undrafted Jan Scotka HC Pardubice (CZE) L 6-2 201 Undrafted Jan Stencel Vitkovice Ostrava (CZE) L 5-9 176 Undrafted Forwards PLAYER TEAM SH HT WT DRAFT Sebastian Gorcik Energie Karlovy Vary (CZE) L 6-0 181 Undrafted David Kampf Pirati Chomutov (CZE) L 6-2 192 Undrafted David Kase Pirati Chomutov (CZE) L 5-9 159 2015 Ondrej Kase Pirati Chomutov (CZE) R 5-11 168 ANA 2014 (205th) Dominik Kubalik HC Plzen 1929 (CZE) L 6-1 174 LA 2013 (191st) Jan Mandat Val dOr (QMJHL) L 6-0 203 Undrafted David Pastrnak Providence (AHL) R 5-11 168 BOS 2014 (25th) Marek Ruzicka Ocelari Trinec (CZE) L 6-2 176 Undrafted Michael Spacek HC Pardubice (CZE) R 5-11 187 2015 Daniel Vozenilek HC Pardubice (CZE) L 6-2 194 Undrafted Jakub Vrana Linkopings (SWE) L 5-11 185 WAS 2014 (13th) Pavel Zacha Sarnia (OHL) L 6-3 203 2015 Patrik Zdrahal Vitkovice Ostrava (CZE) L 6-0 181 Undrafted ' ' '