Tigers 5, Royals 4 (12 innings)
DETROIT -- Dixon Machado lined an RBI single into the left-field corner with two outs and the bases loaded in the 12th inning Friday night to give the Detroit Tigers a 5-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals.
The Kansas City loss kept the Royals' magic number to clinch the American League Central Division title at six. The Twins were rained out Friday.
With the Tigers trailing 4-3 entering the bottom of the 12th, Royals right-hander Greg Holland (3-2) gave up a leadoff single to center fielder Anthony Gose, who went to third on a single by first baseman Miguel Cabrera.
Right fielder J.D. Martinez was walked intentionally to load the bases, and Holland struck out designated hitter Victor Martinez on three pitches. But rookie left fielder Tyler Collins walked on a 3-1 pitch to tie the score again at 4-4.
Machado, a defensive insertion in the 11th, then lined a 2-2 pitch to left near to end the game.
Kansas City had taken a 4-3 lead in the top of the 12th when right fielder Paulo Orlando recorded an RBI on a groundout to second with runners at first and third, allowing Terrance Gore to score from third.
Catcher Salvador Perez singled to left to open the Royals' half of the 12th against right-hander Drew VerHagen (2-0), and pinch-runner Gore stole second. Center fielder Jarrod Dyson sacrificed Gore to third, second baseman Ben Zobrist was walked intentionally before Orlando's run-scoring groundout.
Perez smacked right-handed reliever Alex Wilson's second pitch for his 20th home run, a two-run shot with two outs in the ninth that tied the score, 3-3.
Right-hander Justin Verlander carried a 3-1 lead into the ninth and got the first two outs before giving up a line single to right to first baseman Eric Hosmer on a 2-2 pitch, his 114th pitch of the game. Wilson got a called strike on Perez before serving up the home run.
Gose led off the eighth for Detroit with a double to left-center to chase right-hander Johnny Cueto, who allowed eight hits in his seven-plus innings.
Gose stopped at third when second baseman Ian Kinsler lined a sharp single to right. Kinsler had to duck to avoid getting hit on the top of the helmet by right-hander Wade Davis' first pitch. The single came on the next pitch.
Cabrera then lined a 1-2 fastball to right to score Gose. Kinsler advanced to third on a wild pickoff throw by Davis and scored on a sacrifice fly to right by Victor Martinez.
Cueto threw 105 pitches while going one batter past seven innings. He struck out four and walked one. Verlander struck out seven and walked one.
The Royals tied the game at 1-1 on a two-out RBI double down the third base line by Orlando off Verlander in the fifth. Perez had singled to open the inning and had been forced at second.
The Tigers scored first on three hits off Cueto in the first.
Kinsler singled up the middle with one out and scored on a double to right by Cabrera, his first hit in 21 at-bats. Cabrera was thrown out at the plate by Orlando trying to score on a two-out single by Victor Martinez.
NOTES: Detroit SS Jose Iglesias (right middle finger chip fracture) says he feels better but says "it's going to take some time" before he's able to play again. He's been out since Sept. 3, which makes his return doubtful. ... CF Lorenzo Cain was not in Kansas City's starting lineup for the second straight game Friday. "He could have played," manager Ned Yost said. "He could have played Thursday, too. I'm just giving him a break." ... 3B Nick Castellanos (hamstring) was not in the starting lineup Friday for a second consecutive game. "I can pinch-hit," he said. "I fully expect to be out there Saturday." ... Two banks of lights in right field were out at the scheduled start time, delaying first pitch by 23 minutes.