By MATT PIKE
Detroit's Wenceel Pérez hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning and the Tigers won their fifth straight game. as the Kansas City Royals dropped their third straight game, in a 2-1 Detroit win at Comerica Park.
Neither starter was involved in the decision despite strong outings. Detroit's Jack Flaherty allowed one run and two hits in six innings with seven strikeouts and three walks. Kansas City's Seth Lugo gave up one run and five hits with seven strikeouts and no walks in 6.2 innings.
Each team had a baserunner thrown out at the plate in the third inning. Jac Caglianone tripled to lead off the top of the inning, but Gleyber Torres threw him out when he tried to score on a one-out groundball. Then, in the bottom half, Zach McKinstry attempted to score on Javier Báez’s double, but Michael Massey’s relay throw got him at the plate.
Báez, though, took third on the play and came home on Jake Rogers' sacrifice fly. He was originally called out by plate umpire Jansen Visconti, but a replay review showed he reached over Salvador Perez’s glove to touch the plate. Kansas City tied it in the fifth inning on Kyle Isbel's RBI single that scored Massey after he walked earlier in the inning.
Pérez entered the game in the eighth inning as a defensive replacement when Zach McKinstry left after a collision with Jac Caglianone at third base.
Pérez's first at-bat came as the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the eighth and he hit a 1-1 changeup from Eli Morgan over the right-field fence for his first home run of the season. The Royals had a chances to add a run, a chance to take a lead in the eighth, and tie the game in the ninth. Vinnie Pasquantino tripled with two outs in the eighth, but Kyle Finnegan got Salvador Perez to fly out. Kansas City also got a runner to third in the ninth, but Lane Thomas flew out to end the game.
Morgan took the loss in relief, falling to 0-1 on the season, pitching one inning and giving up one run on two hits, walking one and striking out one. At the plate, Caglianone was 3-for-3 with a triple and a walk. Isbel was 1-for-2 with an RBI.
Kansas City and Detroit wrap up their three game series tomorrow. Kris Bubic (2-1, 2.50 ERA, 23K's) takes the mound for the Royals against Keider Montero (1-1, 1.74 ERA, 10K's) for the Tigers. First pitch will be joined at 12:10pm on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.