(Sports Network) - After a rough start to their 10-game homestand the Kansas City Royals can finish the residency with a .500 mark and also sweep the Detroit Tigers for a second time this season, as the two teams end a three- game set this afternoon at Kauffman Stadium.

Kansas City began its homestand by losing five of the first six games, but managed a victory in the finale of its three-game set with Baltimore before taking the first two tests of its current series with Detroit.

The Royals have now won five straight over the Tigers after also sweeping them in Detroit from March 31-April 3, and can post their first home three-game sweep over the club since April 18-20, 2003.

Kansas City has only plated five runs over its two wins against Detroit in this set, but its pitching has kept the Tigers' struggling offense in check. After a 3-2 win on Tuesday, Luke Hochevar threw six shutout innings and Joey Gathright drove in a pair of runs in the Royals' 2-0 win yesterday.

Hochevar (3-2) gave up just four hits and three walks while fanning five for the Royals, improved to 4-5 on their homestand. Joakim Soria earned his 10th save of the season and has not allowed an earned run in 16 1/3 innings this year.

Justin Verlander (1-7) lost his fourth start in a row, but only gave up two runs on six hits in six-plus innings for Detroit, which has lost three in a row and nine of 11. Miguel Cabrera had two hits for the Tigers, whose six hits were all singles.

Today, Kenny Rogers will try to avenge a loss to Kansas City back on April 2, when he allowed just two runs on five hits over six innings of work in a 4-0 setback. Billy Butler and Jose Guillen both knocked in runs off of Rogers en route to dropping the left-hander to 20-17 in 56 games (35 starts) all-time against Kansas City with a 3.90 earned run average.

That setback to the Royals was the first of three straight to begin the season for the 43-year-old Rogers, but he has since gone unbeaten in five starts (3-0) and defeated the Yankees for the second time this year on Friday. Rogers allowed two runs on nine hits over six innings, lowering his season ERA to 5.82.

Gil Meche will start for the Royals today and was roughed up last time he toed the rubber. Against Baltimore, Meche was tagged for five runs on six hits -- including a pair of home runs -- in just five innings of a 7-4 setback, dropping him to 2-5 on the year with an alarming 6.31 ERA. In 34 starts with Kansas City last year, the right-hander posted a solid 3.67 ERA.

Meche got a no-decision when he battled the Tigers on March 31, allowing three runs on eight hits and four walks in six innings of an eventual 5-4 Royals victory. The righty gave up a homer to Miguel Cabrera in that outing, while Edgar Renteria and Gary Sheffield each drove in a run.

In 15 career outings versus Detroit, Meche is 6-4 with a 3.83 ERA.

Cabrera is 2-for-8 (.250) in his career against Meche, while Magglio Ordonez is hitting .313 (10-for-32) against him with a home run and eight RBI.