DETROIT — James Shields was acquired two offseasons ago to pitch in games like this for Kansas City.
Shields allowed two hits over seven innings in another terrific performance, and Kansas City edged Detroit 3-0 on Wednesday night to take a one-game lead over the Tigers atop the AL Central. Detroit had won the first two games of the series to pull into a virtual tie for first in the division.
The teams have a three-game series in Kansas City that starts Sept. 19.
Shields (14-7) gave up a single to Ian Kinsler leading off the first. Then he picked off Kinsler — and retired every other batter he faced until another Detroit single in the seventh. The Tigers put two on that inning, but Shields worked out of the jam.
Kelvin Herrera pitched the eighth and Wade Davis finished for his third save.
Rick Porcello (15-11) pitched well for the Tigers, but Kansas City pushed across two runs in the fourth on RBI singles by Salvador Perez and Lorenzo Cain.
The game was delayed 42 minutes by rain at the start, and in the fourth it was raining hard enough to send fans toward the concourse, but there were no more delays.
