KANSAS CITY — Luke Hochevar pitched six strong innings and Joey Gathright drove in the only runs, helping the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 2-0 on Wednesday night and handing Justin Verlander his AL-leading seventh loss.

Hochevar (3-2), the first overall pick in the 2006 draft, limited the Tigers to four singles while striking out five and walking three. He lowered his earned run average to 3.94 in five starts since being called up from Triple-A Omaha on April 20.

Relievers Ron Mahay, Leo Nunez and Joakim Soria completed the shutout, holding the Tigers to two hits over the final three innings. Soria picked up his 10th save in as many chances with a perfect ninth, and has not allowed a run in 16 1/3 innings in 17 appearances this season. He’s allowed just four hits while striking out 18 and walking one.

Verlander (1-7) lost for the first time in 10 career starts against the Royals. He had been 6-0 with a 2.65 ERA against Kansas City and put in another solid performance, leaving after six-plus innings. Verlander allowed just two runs on six hits — five of them singles — with three walks and three strikeouts.

The Tigers, last in the AL Central, have lost nine of 11.

The Royals loaded the bases with one out in the second, and Gathright hit an opposite field single to score Mark Teahen and John Buck. It was Gathright’s first multi-RBI game since June 24, 2007, at Milwaukee.

The Royals, who are 5-0 against the Tigers this season, won for the 11th time in which they scored four or fewer runs. It was the fifth shutout logged by Kansas City pitching staff.

The Tigers’ best scoring opportunity came in the third when they put Curtis Granderson on second and Ivan Rodriguez on third, but Carlos Guillen popped up foul to third baseman Alex Gordon to end the threat.

The only other Tiger to reach third was Placido Polanco in the eighth, but he was stranded when Miguel Cabrera grounded out.

The Royals loaded the bases in the seventh but failed to score, with Jose Guillen’s ground out ending the inning.