DETROIT – Matt Vierling hit a three-run homer to highlight Detroit's five-run seventh inning and the Tigers beat Kansas City 6-5 Saturday night, ending the Royals' four-game winning streak.
“When I hit it, I didn't think it was going out,” said Vierling, whose 111-mph line drive had a 14-degree launch angle. “That's a big comeback win, so I was fired up.”
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Trailing 3-1, Detroit rallied against Chris Stratton (2-2) in the seventh. After Jake Rogers walked, Riley Greene and Mark Canha singled, driving in Rogers.
Wenceel Perez flew out to the wall in right, allowing Greene to take third, and Kerry Carpenter tied the game with a base hit. After Spencer Torkelson popped out, Vierling lined Stratton's 1-2 sinker over the left-field fence to put the Tigers up 6-3.
“I left pitches over the middle,” Stratton said. “They are big league hitters and they did exactly what they are supposed to do.”
The Royals bullpen came into the game with a 2.12 ERA in its last 21 innings.
“Stratton's going to pitch big innings for us,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Sometimes during those high-leverage situations, it doesn't go your way, but he's done this before and he'll bounce back.”
The Royals scored twice in the ninth off Tigers closer Jason Foley, but Vinnie Pasquatino flew out to deep center to end the game.
“I threw a four-seamer up and got him,” Foley said. “He's a really good hitter, so it felt great to get him out.”
The Tigers won despite four infield errors, two by Javier Báez.
“We can't keep winning games like that,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “The fight in this team is really good, but this is unsustainable. You give them extra outs, and then Foley is looking at (Bobby) Witt Jr. and Pasquatino in the ninth inning.”
Alex Faedo (2-1) got the win with two innings of relief of starter Casey Mize, who allowed three runs, two earned, in five innings.
Royals starter Brady Singer allowed one run in five innings.
The Royals only needed four batters to take a two-run lead. Maikel Garcia and Witt Jr. started the game with singles, with Garcia moving to third. After Witt stole second, Pasquatino made it 1-0 with a RBI groundout, and Salvador Perez followed with an RBI single. The base hit extended Perez's on-base streak to 17 games, matching his career high.
Kansas City made it 3-0 in the second with a pair of errors setting up Garcia's RBI single.
The Tigers got a run back in the bottom of the inning, and could have had more. Colt Keith walked and scored on Zach McKinstry's triple, but Singer got Báez and Rogers to ground out before striking out Greene to strand the runner.
UP NEXT
The teams finish the weekend series on Sunday with Tigers' ace LHP Tarik Skubal (3-0, 1.82 ERA) facing RHP Michael Wacha (1-2, 3.81).
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb