Matt Vierling's 3-run homer highlights 5-run outburst in 7th inning as Tigers beat Royals 6-5
Detroit Tigers' Matt Vierling, right, is congratulated by Kerry Carpenter (30) after hitting a three-run home run, next to Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Detroit. Credit: AP/Jose Juarez
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.
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.
The Royals scored twice in the ninth off Tigers closer Jason Foley, but Vinnie Pasquatino flew out to deep center to end the game.
The Tigers won despite four infield errors, two by Javier Báez.
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.
Detroit Tigers' Jake Rogers singles against the Kansas City Royals during the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Detroit. Credit: AP/Jose Juarez
The Royals only needed four batters to take a two-run lead. Maikel Garcia and Bobby 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.
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Detroit Tigers' Wenceel Pérez slides safely back to first base before the tag of Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Detroit. Credit: AP/Jose Juarez
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).
