Field Level Media
Sep 26, 2020
Austin Romine's two-run double keyed a three-run first inning as the Detroit Tigers defeated the Royals 4-3 Saturday night in Kansas City, snapping a five-game losing streak.
Neither team scored after the third inning.
Matthew Boyd (3-7) battled through six innings to earn the win. He allowed three runs on five hits. Two of his three wins in 2020 came against the Royals, and the Tigers (23-34) won all three of his starts against Kansas City.
Bryan Garcia picked up his fourth save in six chances.
Carlos Hernandez (0-1) suffered his first career loss for Kansas City (25-34). He allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits in 1 2/3 innings.
The Tigers, who came into the game leading the American League with a .271 batting average with two outs and runners in scoring position, capitalized in the clutch again in the first. Niko Goodrum drove in Harold Castro with an RBI single, and Romine drove in two runs with a double off the wall in center.
Derek Hill then got his first major league hit, but Romine was thrown out at the plate by Alex Gordon. The seven-time gold glove winner has 102 outfield assists since switching from third base during the 2010 season, the most in MLB in that period.
Adalberto Mondesi hit a one-out home run in the bottom of the first, the eighth straight at-bat with a hit dating back to Thursday, and the 11th hit in his last 13 at-bats.
Willie Castro drove in the Tigers' fourth run with an RBI single in the second. Castro then left the game with right shoulder soreness.
Mondesi doubled in Whit Merrifield in the third to extend his streak to nine straight at-bats. Mondesi then scored on Maikel Franco's two-out single and the deficit was just 4-3.
Mondesi walked in his third time up, tying him for the Royals record with three others by reaching safely in 11 straight plate appearances. He struck out in the seventh. He was hitting .179 after 37 games, and he finished Saturday at .247.
--Field Level Media