The right-handed-hitting Mondesi sent his first big-league blast to the opposite field off the former Cy Young award victor, giving the Royals a 1-0 advantage over a Tigers team attempting to return to the playoffs after missing last year’s American League bracket.
Advertisement
Unfortunately, the Detroit Tigers fell to the Kansas City Royals 6-1 in the middle game of their three-game set.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia homered for the Tigers only run, as they lost their seventh game in the last nine. Edwin Encarnacion hit a tying homer and drove home three runs in the eighth as Toronto took advantage of a complete meltdown by New York’s bullpen. Coincidentally, he was the exact same age to the day (21 years, 20 days) that Mondesi was when he hit his first career home run.
Ervin Santana scattered four hits over seven scoreless innings, Joe Mauer homered and the Minnesota Twins beat the Atlanta Braves 4-2 in an interleague matchup. Sanchez struggled last time out in an 8-5 loss at the Rangers with all eight runs allowed on eight hits including four homers in four frames. In the same span, he has surrendered just two solo homers, his finest stretch of the season in that department. According to oddsmakers at BetDSI, the Tigers are favored at home in this game, as they are getting odds of -140 to win. Pelfrey was placed on the 15-day disabled list on August 3 with a lower back strain.
Casey McGehee is starting at third base and hitting second, with Dixon Machado at shortstop and hitting eighth.
Aroldis Chapman entered with one out in the ninth inning with a pair of runners on and retired the next two batters for his fifth save with the Cubs and 25th this season.
Advertisement
The 30-year-old slugger suffered the injury in the fourth inning when Kansas City Royals rookie third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert ran into him at first base. Beltran tied the game with a two-run single to center as he matched his career high with four hits. Rougned Odor was hit by a pitch to drive in the winning run. Detroit, who has been really good and also poor this season, is in a much better spot to potentially clinch a post season spot.
