Tigers 9, Royals 4. [Boxscore]
Summary: Cats sweep Royals behind Verlander and Big Bats.
Pitching: Verlander continued to dominate hitters, going a strong 7 innings, tossing 107 pitches (65 strikes) for his 4th win. He didn't even allow a hit until the 6th inning!
He yielded 3 runs on 4 hits (double, triple) and 4 walks while striking out 7. [
Video overview of performance]
All 7 of his starts this year have been quality starts, and the win, his 141st, ties Wild Bill Donovan for 8th in franchise history.
- Season stats: 4-1, 2.68 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, with 38/19 K/BB in 47.0 IP.
Krol assumed mound duties for the 8th, and during his 12-pitch inning (7 strikes), he gave up a double and nothing more.
- Season stats: 0-0, 0/1 Sv/Opp, 4 Holds, 2.70 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, with 6/0 K/BB in 10.0 IP.
Alburquerque was summoned for the 9th, and he had a bit of a mini-meltdown, giving up a run on 2 hits and walk while striking out 1 in a 31-pitch (20 strike) inning.
Season stats: 1-0, 1/1 Sv/Opp, 3 holds, 4.91 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, with 12/3 K/BB in 11.0 IP.
Offense: This trip to KC has been something special for the hitters. Collectively, in this 3-game series, they have gone 42-118 (.356) with 14 doubles, 4 HR, 4 SB, and 10 BB.
More numbers: OBP of .400, SLG of .576, and an OPS of .976. And even more, the Tigers are the first team to have all 9 starters record at least a hit in 3 straight games since the Yankees did it in 2007.
Talk about loudly roaring...
In this game, they had 16 hits and 3 walks, and stranded 10 on 6-15 hitting with RISP.
Here's the very long list:
Davis: 3-6 (.337), Double (3), 2 SB (11), 3 RS (17).
- Double, SB, and RS in the 3rd; Single, SB, and RS in the 4th; Infield single and RS in the 8th.
Note: .337 average is 2nd in AL, 7th in MLB; 11 steals is tied for 1st in AL with Dozier (Min) and Altuve (Hou).
Kinsler: 2-5 (.304), Double (8), RS (18), RBI (16).
- Double in the 1st; RBI infield single and RS in the 4th. [
Video of RBI single]
Cabrera: 1-4 (.280), Double (10), BB (8), 2 RBI (19).
- Walk in the 3rd; 2-run double in the 4th. [
Video of 2-run double]
Note: 10-game hitting streak.
V. Martinez: 1-3 (.326), 2 IBB (7) (BB: 11).
- Single in the 1st; IBB in the 4th; IBB in the 8th.
Note: 7 IBB is 2nd in AL. (1st: Fielder, Tex, with 9.)
Hunter: 3-5 (.319), 3 RBI (19).
- RBI single in the 3rd; Single in the 7th; 2-run single in the 8th. [
Video of RBI single] [
Video of 2-run single]
Note: 11-game hitting streak; 6 multi-hit games during streak.
Jackson: 1-5 (.292), SB (3), RS (15).
- Single, SB, and RS in the 5th.
Castellanos: 1-5 (.232), HR (4), RS (8), RBI (18).
- Solo HR to left center (416 feet) in the 2nd. [
Video of HR]
Avila: 1-5 (.224), HR (2), RS (8), 2 RBI (6).
- 2-run HR to CF (428 feet) in the 5th. [
Video of HR]
Romine: 3-5 (.250), 2 RS (8).
- Single and RS in the 4th; Single and RS in the 8th; Infield single in the 9th.
Defense: Nothing to report.
Next game: Monday, May 5th: Houston (10-21, Away) @ Detroit (17-9, 9-5 Home; Season series: 1st meeting.), 7:08 Eastern.
Projected starters:
RHP Jarred Cosart (1-2, 5.52 ERA) vs.
Max Scherzer (3-1, 2.08 ERA).
- Cosart has never pitched against the Tigers. Career Away: 1-2, 2.79 ERA, 1.26 WHIP in 10 games.
- Scherzer's career vs. Houston: 2-1, 4.45 ERA, 0.96 WHIP in 5 games. Career Home: 43-20, 3.51 ERA, 1.20 WHIP in 89 games.
Houston TV: CSN. Radio: KBME 790, KLAT 1010 (Sp.).
Detroit TV: FS-D. Radio: 97.1 The Ticket.
Divisional standing: 1st place by 4.5 games over Minnesota.