KANSAS CITY, Mo (AP) — Miguel Cabrera hit a solo homer and a grand slam, doubling his season total to four home runs and leading Detroit over the Kansas City Royals 7-5 Friday night for the Tigers’ eighth win in 11 games.
The 38-year-old homered in the second off Mike Minor for the game’s first run, then overcame a 5-3 deficit in the seventh against Greg Holland with his sixth slam, the 491st home run of his big league career.
“We try to make the moves that are going to that are going to give us the best shot,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “Sometimes they are going to work and sometimes there are not. He gets into a full count and he’s a good hitter that is starting to put some things together, and he made us pay.”
Cabrera, hampered by a left biceps strain earlier this season, raised his average from .198 to .204 with his 42nd multihomer game. With 2,887 hits, he moved into 41st place.
JaCoby Jones and Jake Rogers started the seventh with singles off Minor, and Tyler Zuber (0-1) relieved.
“I love our guys’ approach right now,” Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said. “I think we showed a little fight coming back a couple of different times after they scored. That is a good sign for us.”
Robbie Grossman singled to load the bases and with Jonathan Schoop at the plate, Jones was thrown out at home after a 2-2 fastball in the dirt got past Salvador Pérez and bounced just behind the home plate circle. The catcher made an underhand toss to Zuber, and the pitcher had an easy tag on Jones, who did not slide.
Schoop worked out an eight-pitch walk, Jeimer Candelario took a called third strike, and Holland relieved. Cabrera drove the full-count hanging slider just over the wall in left-center, in front of the fountain area.
“I made the count 3-2 and he gave me a good pitch to hit and came through with a home run,” Cabrera said.
José Ureña (2-4) allowed five runs and 10 hits in six innings.
Bryan Garcia, José Cisnero and Michael Fulmer combined for three hitless innings of relief, with Fulmer getting three straight outs for his fourth save in four chances as the Tigers matched their longest winning streak this year at four games.
Minor gave up four runs and 10 hits in six innings with eight strikeouts and no walks.
Carlos Santana’s two-run single put the Royals ahead in the second, but the Tigers built a 3-2 lead on RBI singles by Nico Goodrum and Wilson Ramos in the fourth.
Ryan O’Hearn’s RBI single tied it 3-3 in the sixth, and Michael A. Taylor hit a two-run homer in the bottom half.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Tigers: LHP Derek Holland (left shoulder strain) pitched one inning of relief for Triple-A Toledo. He has been on the 10-day IL since May 6.
Royals: SS Adalberto Mondesi (strained right oblique) was 1 for 4 in his first start for Triple-A Omaha. … 3B Hunter Dozier (concussion) was eligible to return from the 7-day IL but was not activated. Dozier went to the IL with a .139 batting average for the Royals this season.
UP NEXT
LHP Matthew Boyd (2-4, 2.45 ERA) starts Saturday for the Tigers and RHP Brady Singer (1-3, 3.96 ERA) for the Royals.
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