Guillen, Meche help Royals finish sweep of Tigers

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Luke Hochevar throws in the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday, May 14, 2008, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Jose Guillen homered and drove in three runs, Gil Meche pitched seven solid innings and the Kansas City Royals beat Detroit 8-4 Thursday to complete another three-game sweep of the Tigers.

Kansas City won its season-best fourth straight and improved to 6-0 this season against the skidding Tigers, who have lost four in a row and 10 of 12 while falling into last place in the AL Central.

The Royals began the year with three wins at Detroit, which opened 0-7 despite a $139 million payroll. Now, the Tigers (16-25) are struggling again.

Billy Butler's two-run double keyed a three-run first against Tigers left-hander Kenny Rogers (3-4). Miguel Olivo doubled home Butler with the final run of the inning.

The Royals added two more in the second on an RBI single by Joey Gathright and Guillen's bases-loaded walk after falling behind in the count 0-2.

Guillen homered leading off the fourth against Rogers to extend his hitting streak to a season-high seven games. Olivo later doubled and scored on Mark Teahen's single.

Guillen's eighth-inning single drove in Esteban German.

Meche (3-5) yielded three runs and six hits while striking out six and walking two. He improved to 7-4 in 16 career starts against the Tigers.

Rogers, who was 3-0 in five starts since an April 13 loss, lasted just four innings while allowing seven runs and 11 hits. Every Royals starter had at least one hit off Rogers.

Rookie Matt Joyce drove in two of the Tigers' runs. He homered leading off the seventh and hit a sacrifice fly in the second. Ramon Santiago doubled in the fifth and scored on Curtis Granderson's two-out single for Detroit's other run off Meche.

Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen hit consecutive doubles in the eighth off reliever Joel Peralta for the final Tigers run.