Royals snap losing streak in doubleheader split

AMERICAN LEAGUE

TIGERS 3-2, ROYALS 2-3

DETROIT -- The promise of youth, and the price of inexperience.

It's all part of the equation this year for the rebuilding Detroit Tigers.

Hours after JaCoby Jones homered in the 10th inning to give the Tigers a 3-2 victory over Kansas City, rookie first baseman Niko Goodrum dropped a grounder and made a wild throw as Detroit squandered a chance at a doubleheader sweep. The Royals scored twice in the ninth to win the second game 3-2 on Friday night, snapping a nine-game losing streak.

"I guarantee that the guys out there in the clubhouse are rallying around him, and that's the way we're going to do it around here -- take the good with the bad," Tigers Manager Ron Gardenhire said. "It happens. That's part of the game, too. You make a mistake and it ends up costing you."

The Tigers led 2-1 in the ninth of the nightcap before pinch hitter Abraham Almonte hit a tying bloop single with one out. With runners at first and second, Jon Jay hit a grounder to Goodrum, who didn't handle it cleanly. Goodrum then compounded his problems by flipping the ball over the head of pitcher Shane Greene (1-1), who was covering the bag. The tiebreaking run scored on that error.

"It all kind of evens out," Royals Manager Ned Yost said. "We haven't been getting our fair share of the bloopers and the stuff like that. It was good that it finally came around our way a little bit and helped us win a game."

Kelvin Herrera pitched the ninth for his third save, ending Detroit's four-game winning streak.

Jakob Junis (3-1) allowed 2 runs and 4 hits in 8 innings for the Royals.

With one out in the 10th inning of the first game, the 25-year-old Jones hit a fastball from Brad Keller (0-1) deep to left and immediately put up his right index finger in celebration.

"I was worried as the ball got toward the wall, because I was going to look stupid if it didn't go out," he said. "That's the best feeling in baseball."

Joe Jimenez (2-0) pitched a scoreless 10th in the opener.

Royals starter Jason Hammel allowed 2 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks in 9 innings in the afternoon game, matching the longest outing of his career. Tigers starter Michael Fulmer pitched 7 innings, allowing 2 runs on 8 hits and 1 walk while striking out 4.

Alcides Escobar led off the ninth with a flyball to deep left, but Jones made a leaping catch at the wall.

Mike Moustakas homered in the first game for Kansas City, and Whit Merrifield went deep in the nightcap.

ORIOLES 3, INDIANS 1 Dylan Bundy pitched six innings of five-hit ball and struck out nine to secure his elusive first victory of the season, and Baltimore beat visiting Cleveland to end a six-game losing streak.

BLUE JAYS 8, YANKEES 5 Lourdes Gurriel Jr. made an impressive major league debut with two hits and three RBI as Toronto beat host New York.

RAYS 8, TWINS 7 (10) Pinch-runner Johnny Field scored the winning run from second base in the 10th as reliever Zach Duke missed first base after taking a flip from Joe Mauer on Denard Span's two-out grounder, leading Tampa Bay past visiting Minnesota.

MARINERS 6, RANGERS 2 Jean Segura hit a two-run double in a four-run ninth inning after Mitch Haniger's tying home run in the eighth, lifting Seattle over host Texas.

ASTROS 10, WHITE SOX 0 Justin Verlander pitched six sparkling innings, Carlos Correa homered twice and visiting Houston pounded Chicago.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

PHILLIES 2, PIRATES 1 Odubel Herrera hit a go-ahead triple in the eighth inning to lift host Philadelphia over Pittsburgh.

METS 5, BRAVES 3 (12) Yoenis Cespedes, who struck out in his previous four at-bats, hit a tiebreaking single with two outs in the 12th inning to lift visiting New York to a victory over Atlanta.

BREWERS 8, MARLINS 0 Ryan Braun and Travis Shaw hit back-to-back home runs, helping host Milwaukee to a victory over Miami.

CARDINALS 4, REDS 2 Michael Wacha kept up his strong pitching against visiting Cincinnati, Yadier Molina hit a two-run double in the first inning, and St. Louis spoiled Jim Riggleman's debut as the Reds interim manager.

CUBS 16, ROCKIES 5 Javier Baez and Kyle Schwarber each had a home run and four RBI, and Chicago rode a seven-run sixth inning to a victory over host Colorado.

Sports on 04/21/2018

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