DETROIT -- Salvador Perez homered and drove in three runs as the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 5-1 Tuesday night.
The game was overshadowed by an afternoon announcement that Dave Dombrowski was being replaced as Detroit's general manager by his top assistant, Al Avila. In 14 years with the Tigers, Dombrowski took one of the worst franchises in the game and took it to six postseason appearances including World Series losses in 2006 and 2012.
Detroit came into the season looking for a fifth consecutive AL Central title, but now trail the Royals by 12 1/2 games.
Danny Duffy (5-5) allowed 1 run on 5 hits and 4 walks in 7 innings, only striking out 2
Justin Verlander (1-4) struggled in his ninth start of the season, allowing 5 runs on 10 hits in 7 innings. He didn't walk a batter for a career-best third consecutive start, but the Tigers are now 1-8 in his outings this year.
Perez drove in Kansas City's first three runs, hitting an RBI single in the second and a two-run home run in the fourth. He came into the game with a .429 career batting average and .714 slugging percentage against Verlander.
Alcides Escobar and Ben Zobrist each hit sacrifice flies and Alex Rios added an RBI double.
RANGERS 4, ASTROS 3 Relievers Sam Freeman and Shawn Tolleson pitched out of trouble and host Texas held off Houston. Freeman relieved Yovani Gallardo (8-9) in the sixth inning, and allowed a single and a walk to load the bases with one out. Freeman then retired Luis Valbuena and Marwin Gonzalez. Tolleson earned his 20th save, all since May 20. Texas erased a 2-1 deficit with three runs in the fifth against Dan Straily (0-1).
BLUE JAYS 3, TWINS 1 Josh Donaldson and Troy Tulowitzki each homered, Marco Estrada pitched 6-plus innings to win consecutive starts and host Toronto beat Minnesota. Toronto's sixth victory in seven games moved the Blue Jays ahead of the Twins and into the second AL wild-card spot.
RAYS 11, WHITE SOX 3 Chris Archer pitched seven innings, and Tampa Bay Rays backed him with a season-high four home runs while pounding Chris Sale and host Chicago. Logan Forsythe (Arkansas Razorbacks), Mikie Mahtook, Asdrubal Cabrera and Richie Shaffer all went deep.
YANKEES 13, RED SOX 3 Brian McCann and Chris Young hit three-run home runs during a nine-run seventh inning and host New York romped past Boston.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
METS 5, MARLINS 1 Eric Campbell's tiebreaking pinch-hit single and Juan Lagares' two-run triple highlighted a four-run eighth inning that helped send visiting New York to a victory over Miami. Jonathan Niese (6-9) allowed 1 run and 4 hits in 7 innings for the NL East-leading Mets, who won their fifth consecutive game.
NATIONALS 5, D-BACKS 4 Wilson Ramos blooped a two-run single to right with one out in the bottom of the eighth that helped host Washington beat Arizona. Washington snapped its four-game losing streak.
REDS 3, CARDINALS 2 Anthony DeSclafani handled visiting St. Louis for the second consecutive start, striking out a career-high nine, and Cincinnati turned a big first inning off John Lackey into a victory. DeSclafani (7-7), the most experienced member of Cincinnati's all-rookie rotation, gave up 7 hits and 2 runs in 6 innings. Last Wednesday in St. Louis, DeSclafani gave up only three hits in seven innings of a 1-0 victory. Aroldis Chapman fanned two in the ninth -- his fastball topping out at 101 mph -- for his 23rd save in 24 chances.
PHILLIES 6, DODGERS 2 Maikel Franco hit a tiebreaking grand slam in the seventh inning to spoil Jimmy Rollins' return to Philadelphia and lead the Phillies to a victory over NL West-leading Los Angeles. Rollins got a prolonged standing ovation in his first game in front of a crowd that rooted for the shortstop his first 15 seasons. The 2007 NL MVP finished 2 for 5.
CUBS 5, PIRATES 0 Jake Arrieta pitched seven innings, Anthony Rizzo tied a career high with four hits and visiting Chicago beat Pittsburgh for its sixth consecutive victory. Arrieta (12-6) allowed two singles -- Andrew McCutchen in the fourth and Starling Marte in the seventh -- while striking out five and walking three.
GIANTS 8, BRAVES 3 Hunter Pence hit a tie-breaking three-run home run in the eighth inning and San Francisco beat host Atlanta.
BREWERS 4, PADRES 1 Jimmy Nelson scattered three hits over 6 2/3 solid innings, Khris Davis drove in two runs and host Milwaukee snapped a six-game losing streak with a victory over San Diego.
INTERLEAGUE
MARINERS 10, ROCKIES 4 Nelson Cruz homered for the fifth consecutive game, and visiting Seattle spoiled Jon Gray's major league debut with a victory over Colorado. It is the second time this season Cruz has gone deep in five consecutive games. He also singled to extend his hitting streak to 15 games.
Sports on 08/05/2015