DETROIT -- Prince Fielder went three weeks without a homer, and the Detroit Tigers kept right on rolling. Now that droughts over -- and Fielders team is sitting pretty in the AL Central. Fielders two-run shot in the first inning Thursday night sent the Tigers to a 4-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Andy Dirks added four hits for Detroit, which leads second-place Cleveland by 6 1/2 games in the division. "Prince produces runs. I dont care how he does it," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "Tonight happened to be by way of the home run, but hes a run producer, always has been. Its in the book and itll be in the book at the end of this year." Dirks had two doubles and two singles for the Tigers, who took the opener of this five-game series with third-place Kansas City. The Royals have lost three in a row after a 17-3 stretch that put them in contention for a post-season spot. Kansas City now trails Detroit by 8 1/2 games in the division. The Royals are 5 1/2 behind Oakland in the race for a wild card. Detroits Anibal Sanchez (11-7) allowed a run and seven hits in 7 1-3 innings. Bruce Rondon finished the eighth, and Joaquin Benoit pitched a hitless ninth for his 16th save in 16 chances. Jeremy Guthrie (12-9) allowed four runs and 13 hits in seven innings. Fielder went deep for the first time since July 24, belting a towering drive to right-centre to give Detroit a 2-1 lead. The Tigers scored two more runs in the fifth on RBI singles by Torii Hunter and Miguel Cabrera. Dirks, batting leadoff because Austin Jackson had the night off, scored twice. It was the second four-hit game of the season for Dirks, who is from Kansas and went to Wichita State. "It felt good. Its hard to explain -- its just one of those feel things," Dirks said. "I could feel the path of the bat as I was swinging. My timing was better and everything just clicks. Your legs work with your hands and different things." The Tigers won despite an atrocious night on the bases. Dirks led off the Detroit third with a double, and then was caught in a rundown when Hunter grounded to the mound. After Dirks was tagged out, the Royals got a double play because Hunter had turned too far around first. In the sixth, Brayan Pena took too much of a turn after hitting a single, and he too was caught off the bag. Kansas City, meanwhile, stole three bases, but the Royals couldnt break through against Sanchez after scoring a run in the first inning. "We had a good scouting report today," Kansas Citys Alex Gordon said. "When youre not hitting doubles and home runs, youve got to make something happen." Gordons RBI single made it 1-0, but Dirks singled to start the bottom of the first, and Fielder went deep for his 18th homer of the season. The Royals had a man on second in the second, a man on third in the fourth and then a man on second again in the fifth. But they were 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position. After a double by Dirks in the fifth, Detroit had men on second and third with one out. Hunter singled to make it 3-1, and Cabreras fly ball to centre dropped in front of Jarrod Dyson for another run. Cabrera, who has been bothered by hip and leg injuries lately, made a nice sliding catch in foul territory near third base on an eighth-inning popup by Gordon. "Hes obviously playing in some pain," Leyland said. "Just a gutty performance, day after day. You know, weve got a lot of guys that go out there all the time -- and I dont want to slight Miggy, because hes been going out there and playing. Theres not too many guys that could do what hes doing, under the circumstances, but weve got a lot of guys that go out there." NOTES: Emilio Bonifacio, acquired by Kansas City on Wednesday in a trade with Toronto, went 1 for 4 with a stolen base. ... A concession stand was closed after a small grease fire about three hours before the first pitch sent smoke high into the air behind the scoreboard in LF, but the situation was under control quickly and hardly anyone on the field at the time seemed to notice. ... Detroit and Kansas City play a doubleheader Friday. The Tigers send RHP Justin Verlander (12-8) to the mound in the opener against Royals LHP Danny Duffy (0-0). Detroit LHP Jose Alvarez (1-2) faces Kansas City RHP James Shields (7-8) in the nightcap. Nike Air Max Uptempo Canada . Or take a relaxing vacation somewhere warm. Brayden Schenn and Scott Hartnell scored, Ray Emery stopped 32 shots and the Flyers beat the Calgary Flames 2-1 on Saturday for their fourth straight victory. Nike Air Max 360 Canada . -- Detroit shortstop Jose Iglesias says he has stress fractures in both legs and isnt sure when hell be able to play again, leaving the Tigers two weeks to fill his spot for opening day and perhaps a lot longer. http://www.clearanceairmaxcanada.com/air...anada-sale.html. - The RBC Canadian Open will return to Glen Abbey Golf Club next year, marking the 27th time that the national open championship will be played at the Oakville, Ont. Nike Air Max Canada Replica . While he was away, it was the division-rival Baltimore Orioles conducting a little business of their own, scooping up Ubaldo Jimenez on Monday evening to a reported four-year, $50-million contract. Canada Nike Air Max Tailwind . -- The Toronto Maple Leafs are tightening the race for second place in the Atlantic Division.NEW YORK -- Carmelo Anthonys will miss the final two games with a torn labrum in his right shoulder, ending his first playoff-less season and potentially his New York Knicks career. Anthony had one of his finest individual seasons, averaging 27.4 points and a career-best 8.1 rebounds in 77 games. But it stunningly amounted to nothing, as the Knicks were eliminated from playoff contention on Saturday night. "Weve chatted a little bit and I feel for him more than anybody, because the kind of season that he had, he deserves to be in the playoffs and I feel bad about that. I do," Knicks coach Mike Woodson said Tuesday. Anthony initially hurt the shoulder earlier this month but kept playing as the Knicks were trying to rally to grab the No. 8 seed. But Woodson was leaning toward not playing him Tuesday at Brooklyn or Wednesday at home against Toronto, even before Anthony had an MRI exam Tuesday that revealed the tear. "Obviously he knew it was bothering him whhen he hurt it a few weeks ago, but he hung in there with us and tried to make this last push to get in the playoffs," Woodson said.dddddddddddd The Knicks said Anthony would not require surgery at this point and would be evaluated in about a month. After that, the Knicks can only hope that when he can play again, its for them. Anthony said before the season began that he planned to opt out of his contract and become a free agent in July. New president Phil Jackson said he had no doubt that Anthony could be the central piece of the Knicks future, but Anthony will likely want to consider his options after missing the playoffs for the first time in his 11-year career. He will turn 30 next month and knows it will be tough for the Knicks to get much better next season, since they already face salary cap woes and wont have a lottery pick, having traded it to Denver in the deal to acquire him in 2011. Woodson said Amare Stoudemire would play against the Nets. ' ' '