The Kansas City Royals won a series for the first time in 11 tries this season, beating the Detroit Tigers 4-2 Sunday as Mike Moustakas drove in three runs with a double and sacrifice fly.
The Kansas City Royals won a series for the first time in 11 tries this season, beating the Detroit Tigers 4-2 Sunday as Mike Moustakas drove in three runs with a double and sacrifice fly.
Kansas City took three of four from the Tigers. The Royals had lost nine previous series this year and split one.
Jakob Junis (4-2) improved to 3-0 against the Tigers this year and matched his career high with eight strikeouts. He allowed two runs and eight hits in seven-plus innings.
Kelvin Herrera retired pinch-hitter Nicholas Castellanos on a game-ending flyout with a man on for his seventh save in eight chances.
Matthew Boyd (1-3) gave up four runs and six hits in seven innings, dropping to 2-6 against Kansas City.
Moustakas hit a sacrifice fly in the first and had a two-run double to the base of the center-field wall in the third. Moustakas scored when Salvador Perez singled on a popup that shortstop Jose Iglesias lost in the sun.
Whit Merrifield led off the first with a double and came home on Moustakas’ sacrifice fly. Merrifield stole three bases for the second time in his big league career, the first since last July 2.
John Hicks homered in the fourth and hit a run-scoring single in the eighth off Brad Keller.
NEGRO LEAGUES SALUTE
The Royals wore the uniforms of the Kansas City Monarchs and the Tigers of the Detroit Stars as the clubs saluted the Negroe Leagues. The Negro Leagues Museum is in Kansas City.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Tigers: 3B Jaimer Candelario did not play because of a jammed and swollen left thumb, injured in a swing…. Castellanos, who had three extra-base hits Saturday, did not start because of flu-like symptoms…. Iglesias is getting treatment for a tender ankle, but was in the lineup. “We’ve talked about trying to give him a break, but we didn’t have an option today,” Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said.
UP NEXT
Tigers: RHP Michael Fulmer (1-2,2.80) is to start Monday at Texas, which goes with LHP Matt Moore (1-4,7.67).
Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (0-4,5.64) is the scheduled starter Tuesday at Baltimore, and RHP Dylan Bundy (1-4,3.76) starts for the Orioles. The Royals are 0-14 in games started by Duffy and RHP Jason Hammel.
