The Detroit Tigers came into Thursday afternoon's game with a one-game lead in the American League Central, the first time they'd held sole possession of first place since July 23.

It will be — barring, of course, a tiebreaking Game 163, which counts as a regular-season contest for stat purposes — the final home game of the regular season at Comerica Park. After the contest, the Tigers will fly to Minneapolis for three games with the Minnesota Twins, before heading to Kansas City for the final series of the regular season.

Whether or not the Tigers return to Comerica Park for another game depends entirely upon how well they do in that six-game road swing.

It may also depend on how healthy the pitching staff — which took a hit with Thursday's news of Max Scherzer's recurring deltoid injury — turns out to be the rest of the way.

For Thursday's game, it will be one last time for the Royals to try to play spoiler — here, at least. They'll have three more cracks the final three games of the season.

And they've been trying.

"I love my team. We’ve played three games here, and we’re 0-3, but we’re in these games and we’re not far from the point where we are going to be consistently winning these games," Royals manager Ned Yost said after Wednesday's loss. "No matter what has happened this year, we’ve gotten knocked down and gotten right back up. These guys fight every day, and they are going to do everything in their power to beat Detroit in these games."

Here are Thursday's lineups.

DETROIT TIGERS (83-72):
Austin Jackson, CF
Quintin Berry, LF
Miguel Cabrera, 3B
Prince Fielder, 1B
Delmon Young, DH
Andy Dirks, RF
Jhonny Peralta, SS
Alex Avila, C
Omar Infante, 2B

Starting pitcher: Doug Fister (10-9, 3.43 ERA)

KANSAS CITY ROYALS (70-85):
David Lough, CF
Alcides Escobar, SS
Alex Gordon, LF
Billy Butler, DH
Salvador Perez, C
Mike Moustakas, 3B
Jeff Francouer, RF
Eric Hosmer, 1B
Johnny Giavotella, 2B

Starting pitcher: Luis Mendoza, RHP (8-9, 4.44)