By MATT PIKE
Nick Loftin hit a tie breaking home run in the ninth inning to help power the Kansas City Royals to a 3-2 win over the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park, but that wasn't the most memorable moment of the afternoon.
Both the Royals and the Tigers traded runs in the second inning, A sacrifice fly by Michael Massey scoring Vinnie Pasquantino in the top half before Riley Greene doubled and scored on a double from Hao-Yu Lee in the bottom half to tie the game. In the fourth inning Detroit took the lead on a solo home run from Lee, putting them up 2-1. It was a lead the Tigers held until the seventh inning, when the Captain stepped to the plate for Kansas City.
Leading off the seventh inning, with an 0-1 count, Salvador Perez hit his franchise-record 318th home run to tie the game 2-2. Just three days after tying George Brett's home run record, the homer broke the mark set by Brett, who held the record for 40 years. Perez is the third active player to own his current team’s all-time home run record, joining Mike Trout and Manny Machado and are the seventh most by a catcher in Major League history.
Loftin then hit his fifth home run of the season, going deep off Jacob Waguespack with one out in the ninth inning. In the bottom half, after Riley Greene singled off Daniel Lynch, former Detroit Tiger Alex Lange came on for the save. Lange struck out Lee, and after Zach McKinstry singled to right to put runners on the corners with one out, he struck out Matt Vierling before retiring pinch-hitter Spencer Torkelson for his 10th save.
Lynch earned the win in relief, improving to 4-2 on the season, throwing one inning and giving up one hit. Starter Michael Wacha threw seven innings and gave up two runs on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts. At the plate, Pasquantino was 3-for-4 with a run scored. Carter Jensen was 2-for-4, while both Loftin and Perez had one hit each, Perez going 1-for-4 and Loftin going 1-for-3 both with home runs and an RBI.
Kansas City and Detroit wrap up their four game series tomorrow with the Royals seeking a series split. Framber Valdez (5-7, 5.47 ERA, 88K's) starts for the Tigers while the Royals will send out an opener who has not been announced. First pitch will be at 12:40pm, pregame at noon on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).
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