Royals 6, Tigers 1
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain and Mike Moustakas homered as the Kansas City Royals blasted the Detroit Tigers 6-1 Tuesday night.
Center fielder Cain, who went 4-for-4 and missed the cycle by a triple, led off the sixth with his 12th home run, a no-doubter to left field. Three batters later, third baseman Moustakas homered after designated hitter Kendrys Morales drew a walk. It was Moustakas' first home run since July 22, ending a 56-at bat homerless slide.
Moustakas also drove in Hosmer in the eighth inning with a single.
Right-hander Yordano Ventura (7-7) gave up only two hits but walked six while striking out eight over six innings, throwing 104 pitches.
Left-hander Franklin Morales replaced Ventura in the seventh and gave up a run. First baseman Jefry Marte led off the inning with his second double and stopped at third on third baseman Andrew Romine's single to left. Rajai Davis, batting for center fielder Anthony Gose, flied out to center to get Marte home.
Luke Hochevar logged his first save of the season and the third of his career with 2 2/3 scoreless and hitless innings, striking out three.
First baseman Hosmer hit an opposite-field home run into the Royals' bullpen in the first with Cain aboard to put Kansas City up 2-0. Hosmer drove a 1-1 Anibal Sanchez pitch over the left-field fence for his 12th homer, giving the Royals eight first- inning runs in their past three games.
The Tigers loaded the bases with one out in the second without a hit. Ventura walked right fielder J.D. Martinez and left fielder Tyler Collins, while catcher James McCann reached on second baseman Ben Zobrist's fielding error.
Ventura wriggled out of that jam by striking out Marte looking and retiring Romine on a weak ground ball to Hosmer.
The Tigers threatened again in the fourth, but McCann was out trying to score from first on Marte's double as shortstop Alcides Escobar's strong relay throw beat him.
NOTES: Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera hit off LHP Tom Gorzelanny in early batting practice and conceivably could be activated for a weekend series with the Astros. Cabrera went on the disabled list July 4 with a strained left calf. ... Royals 2B Omar Infante, who is an 0-for-16 slide, was not in the Royals' lineup. Ben Zobrist started at second, his third position in 11 games with the Royals. ... LHP Daniel Norris will make his third Detroit start in the series finale. RHP Edinson Volquez, who had a team-leading 11 victories, will start for the Royals.