Outfield Jarrod Dyson returned to the KC Royals lineup Wednesday night after suffering an oblique injury this spring.
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – There were plenty of superlatives to go around in the Detroit clubhouse Wednesday night. He was replaced by Andrew Romine at first base and was on the bench for the rest of the evening. Then in the fifth, after putting runners on first and second with nobody out, Omar Infante failed to get down a bunt before striking out and Jarrod Dyson grounded into a double play.
The Tigers had Perez hung up between first and second, but Gordon on third broke for home. He figures to step into a regular role in right field.
Back at home after a day off on Monday, the Royals had snatched the lead with a pair of two-out rallies in the second and third innings.
The Royals got the win thanks to Salvador Perez’s three-run homer and career-high five RBIs.
Yes and no: Duffy was pitching the seventh because the Royals had a sizable lead at that point. One was a fastball thrown out of the strike zone; the other five pitches were change-ups.
Kinsler drove home the first run in the third inning with a two-out double. The Royals have won four of their last six against Detroit and the two have hit the over in eight straight meetings. The Royals will try to avoid a third straight setback when they open up a six-game homestand by hosting the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday. Then J.D. Martinez walked on five pitches. Wade Davis was a little sharper in the ninth, working his sixth save. For Soria, however, the concern is very real.
NATIONALS 7, MARLINS 0 Bryce Harper hit a grand slam, one of four home runs in a seven-run seventh inning for Washington, which beat host Miami. It was interesting to see Ned Yost put him before Herrera in the relief order, meaning that Herrera may have taken over as the “eighth-inning guy”. His emotions resulted in a 35-pitch first inning, which included a leadoff single and back-to-back walks. The good news is that the bases were loaded, so the hit-by-pitch resulted in a run. Kennedy surrendered two runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings, walking two and striking out seven, throwing 61 strikes in 97 pitches.
In his first two starts with the Tigers, he pitched 13 scoreless innings. Martinez stranded the bases loaded (again) with a popup. In his career, he’s a.399 hitter with the sacks full. Royals starter Yordano Ventura struck him out swinging twice with changeups.
The Royals are 9-4. They improved to 9-4 on the season, one game off their torrid early pace from a season ago, and 1 1/2 games ahead of Detroit.
Jordan Zimmermann extending his impressive scoreless innings streak to start the season.
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The series continues tomorrow in a battle of aces. The Royals send Ian Kennedy to the mound.
