It was an up and down day in Detroit, truly a peaks and valleys experience as a fan today. But the Royals offense was relentless and avoided getting swept by downing the Tigers 10-8.
Riley Greene hit another homer off Royals pitching on the first pitch in the bottom of the second, putting the Tigers up 1-0. Tigers starter Jack Flaherty looked untouchable against the first 8 batters the Royals sent to the plate.
However, catcher Luke Maile lined a single into right field to extend the 3rd inning. Mike
Yastrzemski continued to rake, splitting the left center field gap for a game-tying double. Bobby Witt Jr. laced an RBI single to put the Royals ahead and Vinnie Pasquantino punished a hanging knuckle curve for a 2-run home run to right center field. Maikel Garcia lined a single into right to keep the inning going, before Salvy hit an RBI double, which Adam Frazier would do the same, advancing to third on a fielding error. 7 straight hits, 6 runs scored, all happening after the first two batters were out. You get all that?
All of a sudden, going to the bottom of the third inning, the Royals were up 6-1, with Seth Lugo on the hill, who outside the homer looked good. It felt like the Royals were going to cruise to a victory. Unfortunately, that thought would be incorrect.
Lugo did get a shutdown inning in the third and struck out the first batter he faced in the 4th, after that, it was all downhill. A walk, single and a hit batsman after getting ahead 0-2, and the Tigers were in business. Jahmai Jones cleared the bases with a double to left center. 6-4 Royals going to the 5th.
Wenceel Perez led off the 5th inning with a solo homer, to make it a one run game. A single followed it up, but Lugo would finish his day getting a flyout. Lugo finished the day going 4.1 innings, giving up six hits and six runs, striking out five, walking two and allowing two more home runs.
Angel Zerpa would get a rematch from Riley Greene from Friday, this round went go to Zerpa, almost getting an inning ending double play. But a Dillon Dingler RBI double and Zach McKinstry bloop single put the Tigers up 7-6. Things felt over with what had transpired over the last 2 innings, it was a massive gut punch. John Schreiber got the last out of the inning.
A Frazier single and India double to start the 6th, put the Royals back into business though. Kyle Isbel came through with a 2 run single through the drawn in infield, he later scored on a wild pitch. 9-7 Royals going to the bottom of the 6th.
Schreiber would pitch a 1-2-3 6th. On the first pitch of the 7th, Maikel Garcia blasted his 13th homer on the season, putting the Royals up 10-7.
Lucas Erceg got the 7th, he allowed a one out, solo home run to Spencer Torkelson, another player that’s mashed homers off the Royals all season. Greene would get hit by a pitch after taking what should’ve been strike three. But Erceg retired the next two batters.
Jonathan Bowlan got the 8th, in his first appearance since being recalled from AAA… again. He looked really good, getting a 1-2-3 inning on just 7 pitches. Carlos Estevez got a 1-2-3 9th inning to record his 34th save on the season. Royals were able to hold on to win it 10-8. Schreiber got the win, making him 3-2 on the season.
The Royals are now 67-64 on the season and fly to Chicago to start a huge three game series with the White Sox. First pitch tomorrow night is at 6:40 p.m. CT.
