Detroit Tigers vs Kansas City Royals Match Player Stats On May 31, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jun 1, 2017

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Victor Martinez and Alex Avila homered as the Detroit Tigers rallied from an early three-run deficit to beat the Kansas City Royals 6-5 on Wednesday night.

The Tigers (25-28) took two of three in Kansas City, which has the worst record in the American League, 22-30.

Neither starting pitcher lasted long. Royals right-hander Ian Kennedy (0-5) was removed after three innings and 74 pitches. Tigers left-hander Matthew Boyd was yanked with two outs in the fourth after 63 pitches.

Warwick Saupold (1-0) pitched three shutout innings to pick up the victory. Justin Wilson worked around an Alex Gordon ninth-inning single to collect his fifth save.

The Detroit bullpen allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings after Boyd was pulled.

Kennedy continued to struggle, and he remains winless in his past 13 starts. He was roughed up for five runs, four hits and three walks while striking out four.

The Royals staked Kennedy to a three-run lead after the first, sending eight men to the plate. Lorenzo Cain started it with a double and Eric Hosmer had an infield single. Salvador Perez singled to center, scoring Cain. After Merrifield walked, Cheslor Cuthbert's two-out single scored Hosmer and Perez.

The Tigers quickly got a run back in the next inning, when Victor Martinez led off with his fifth home run of the season. He drove a Kennedy 0-1 pitch out to right.

Kennedy gave up four runs in the third, all after two were out. He walked Andrew Romine, Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez to load the bases. J.D. Martinez doubled to right, scoring Romine and Cabrera. Justin Upton then doubled to center, bringing home Victor Martinez and J.D. Martinez.

Avila homered in the fourth off Royals reliever Seth Maness, giving the Tigers a 6-3 lead. It was Avila's seventh homer of the year.

The Royals got a run back in the bottom half of the fourth with Alcides Escobar's two-out single scoring Cuthbert, who had doubled.

That also ended the night for Boyd, who yielded four runs and seven hits. He was replaced by Saupold.

The Royals trimmed the Tigers' lead to a run in the eighth. Jorge Bonifacio and Whit Merrifield, who owns a career-best 16-game hitting streak, singled. Bonifacio scored on an Alex Wilson wild pitch with two outs.

NOTES: Tigers LF Justin Upton left in the third inning with a mild right quadriceps strain while running the bases. He was replaced by Mikie Mahtook. ... Royals 1B Eric Hosmer singled in the third inning for his 1,000th career hit. ... Salvador Perez was the Royals' DH with Drew Butera catching. Manager Ned Yost said it allows him to keep Perez's bat in the lineup and give him a day-and-a half off behind the plate with the club idle Thursday. ... Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said he anticipates 2B Ian Kinsler (hamstring strain) will come off the disabled list Tuesday. ... After an 11-game, 10-day trip, the Tigers return home Friday to play 12 of their next 15 at Comerica Park. ... LHP Jason Vargas will start Friday against the Indians to begin a three-game series. Cleveland will start RHP Josh Tomlin.