Tigers 1, Royals 0: Miguel Cabrera stuck around long enough to ensure himself the first Triple Crown since 1967 and Austin Jackson drove in the lone run as visiting Detroit took the rubber game from Kansas City.

Max Scherzer was supposed to skip the start due to shoulder and ankle concerns but ended up working four scoreless innings for the American League Central champion Tigers, who will host the Oakland Athletics on Saturday to open the division series.

Cabrera knew he would not have much work to do after Josh Hamilton failed to homer earlier in the day and only stuck around long enough to make sure Mike Trout would not pass him for the batting title. Cabrera ended up going 0-for-2 to finish with a .330 batting average, 44 home runs and 139 RBIs to become the first Triple Crown winner since Boston's Carl Yastrzemski.

Detroit pushed across the lone run in the fifth, when Omar Infante led off with a single off Luis Mendoza and stole second and third before coming in on Jackson’s double to left-center. Mendoza (9-9) ended up allowing one run on six hits while walking three and striking out six in seven innings.

Luis Marte (1-0) pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings in relief to earn the win and Luke Putkonen worked the ninth for his first save.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Ace RHP Justin Verlander will start Game 1 of the playoffs, with Anibal Sanchez, Doug Fister and Scherzer to follow in some order. … Cabrera received a standing ovation from the crowd in Kansas City when he came to the plate. He is the first Latino player to ever win the Triple Crown and the first Tiger to win back-to-back batting titles since Ty Cobb took three straight from 1917-1919. … The Kansas City bullpen set an AL record with 535 strikeouts, eclipsing the 2001 Cleveland Indians by eight Ks.