KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ Perhaps the Royals have once again found that late-season groove that will dull some of those growing pains that have characterized most of the season.
Last season, they collected 15 wins in the season's final month. This year, they've started September with three consecutive wins and a four-game win streak going back to the final game in August.
After a walk-off win on Tuesday night, the Royals continued to build momentum with a 5-4 win over the Detroit Tigers in front of an announced 15,308 at Kauffman Stadium on Wednesday night. The Royals clinched a series victory and can sweep all three games with a win Thursday.
Royals starting pitcher Jakob Junis, who made his 29th start of the season, gave up three runs in the second inning and then retired 13 of the next 14 he faced.
Junis (9-12) allowed four runs on seven hits in six innings plus one batter. Junis walked one, the final batter he faced, and struck out four. The fourth run he allowed scored in the seventh inning after he'd exited the game and the bullpen took over.
Jorge Soler hit his 40th home run of the season, the first player in Royals history to reach that mark. Hunter Dozier's fifth-inning triple tied him with teammates Whit Merrifield and Adalberto Mondesi for the team lead with nine each. They're all tied for the American League lead along with Seattle Mariners speedster Mallex Smith.
Ryan McBroom, who made his major-league debut and collected his first hit on Tuesday night, drove in the Royals' first run on Wednesday. He went 2 for 4 with an RBI.
