After the Tigers had a sweep at home against the Astros, they were hoping to repeat that luck as the Royals came into town. The Royals, currently second in the AL Central, so wins in this series would help bulk up the gap between first and second (something the Tigers certainly still need to worry about). They would be counting on Casey Mize, while the Royals were hoping for some magic out of Ryan Bergert.
Mike Yastrzemski got a leadoff single in the top of the first for the Royals, but the baserunner
was promptly eliminated thanks to a double play off the bat of Bobby Witt Jr. Vinnie Pasquantino then singled, followed by a Maikel Garcia single. But despite their best efforts the Royals weren’t able to bring in a run. The Tigers went 1-2-3 against Bergert in the home half.
In the second, Mize regained a little momentum after the difficulty he had in the first, and got the Royals out in order. The Tigers followed suit in the home half.
Kyle Isbel singled to get things started in the third, followed by another Yastrzemski single. Bobby Witt Jr. then singled to bring in the first run of the game, scoring Isbel. Two outs followed, but the Royals weren’t done yet, as Salvador Perez doubled, bringing in two more runs and putting the Royals up 3-0. Adam Frazier then got on with a walk, but there would be no more Royals runs scored that inning. In the home half, with one out, Zach McKinstry hit a solo home run to ensure that a shutout was off the board.
With one out in the fourth, Isbel singled, but he got caught trying to leg it out to a double for the second out of the inning. A third out quickly followed. Riley Greene got a two-out walk in the bottom of the fourth, but the Tigers were unable to convert the run.
In the fifth, with two outs, Maikel Garcia singled, but the Royals left him stranded. Things turned over to the Tigers, and with two outs, McKinstry once again proved his value with a double. Unfortunately, much like the Royals earlier in the inning, his team wasn’t able to bring him home.
After two outs in the sixth, Casey Mize’s night was done, and he was replaced by Drew Sommers, freshly called up to the majors. (Is it just me, or do we get a little Phil Coke vibe here? In a complimentary way.) Mize’s final line for the game was 5.2 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 K on 87 pitches, and while not the worst we’ve seen from Mize this season, I can’t really call a start with 9 hits and no strikeouts a good outing. Sommers got the final out of the inning. In the bottom of the sixth, Gleyber Torres got a one-out single, and after the second out of the inning, Angel Zerpa replaced Bergert. That change certainly benefitted the Tigers, as Riley Greene hammered a two-run homer, his first-ever 30-home run season now in the books.
The Tigers weren’t done yet, though, as Spencer Torkelson and Wenceel Perez hit back-to-back singles. Zerpa was done after the minimum three batters, replaced by John Schreiber, who got the final out of the inning.
Nick Loftin got a leadoff walk for the Royals to start the seventh. Randal Grichuk then walked to put two men on. Bobby Witt Jr. hit into his second double play of the game. A third out followed. Bailey Falter came in for the bottom of the inning as the new Royals’ pitcher. McKinstry then singled (one triple away from the cycle, now), then Javier Baez singled. A throwing error by Grichuk allowed McKinstry to score and advanced Baez to third. A pinch-hitting Andy Ibanez singled, scoring Baez. Ibanez advanced to second on a wild pitch by Falter. Torres then doubled to score Ibanez, extending the Tigers’ lead to 6-3. Two outs followed, but then Spencer Torkelson walked. Wenceel Perez then singled, scoring Torres. At the end of the seventh the Tigers were up 7-3.
Maikel Garcia started the eighth with a walk. Salvador Perez then reached on catcher’s interference by Dillon Dingler. Three outs then followed. With two outs in the home half, Andy Ibanez doubled, however, Torres grounded out to end the inning.
Will Vest came in to pitch for the ninth. Grichuk got a one-out single, then with two outs, he advanced to second on defensive indifference. Vinnie Pasquantino homered, bringing in two runs, but the Tigers thankfully had enough of a buffer. Once the final out of the inning was rung up, the Tigers still had the win in their grasp.
