DETROIT _ Rookie right-hander Michael Fulmer turned in one of his best starts in over a month for the Detroit Tigers.
Fulmer allowed one run on eight hits _ all singles _ over seven innings. He didn't allow a walk and struck out nine.
The Tigers went on to beat the Royals, 8-3, Friday at Comerica Park. The Tigers extended their winning streak to five games.
Detroit made its lead for the second AL wild card a full game.
Fulmer lowered his ERA to 2.95 for the season. He can qualify for the AL ERA title if he pitches 61/3 more innings. Masahiro Tanaka of the Yankees currently leads the AL with a 3.07 ERA.
It was the fourth time this season Fulmer has struck out nine or more.
The Tigers hit three home runs off lefty Danny Duffy. Victor Martinez and Justin Upton hit solo home runs in the third inning and Cameron Maybin added a two-run home run in the fourth inning for a 6-0 cushion.
Duffy gave up six runs on seven hits over 32/3 innings for the Royals. He walked four and struck out four. The six runs were the second-highest total allowed by Duffy this season. He allowed seven runs in an 8-3 loss at Boston on Aug. 27.
Duffy gave up three walks in the first inning. He gave up a leadoff walk to Ian Kinsler, who returned to the lineup after missing the past three games with concussion-like symptoms after being hit in the head by a pitch from Trevor Bauer on Sunday in Cleveland.
With one out, Kinsler went to third on a two-base throwing error to first by Duffy, who went on to walk Miguel Cabrera on four pitches.
Kinsler scored on a wild pitch by Duffy with Martinez batting. Cabrera went to second on the wild pitch and advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher Drew Butera, who was playing because Salvador Perez was scratched due to a sore knee.
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Upton's RBI double gave the Tigers a 2-0 lead. Upton added his 27th home run of the season to give the Tigers a 4-0 lead.
Then came Maybin's fourth home run of the season, a two-run home run to left-center.
The Royals scored a run in the top of the sixth. The Tigers appeared to get out of the top of the sixth with a 3-6-1 double play. A late challenge by the Royals led to an overturned call on the play at first. Fulmer went on to give up an RBI single to Paulo Orlando.
The Tigers added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to take an 8-1 lead. Royals right-hander Peter Moylan gave up a bases loaded walk to Martinez to score Jose Iglesias, who had reached on a throwing error by third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert. J.D. Martinez hit a sac fly to center that scored Kinsler.
The Royals added two runs in the top of the ninth off Mark Lowe. Jarrod Dyson hit a two-out, two-run triple to center.
Kinsler finished 2-for-3 with two walks and three runs scored for the Tigers. Upton was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Victor Martinez was 2-for-2 with two walks and two RBIs.
