Royals 8, Tigers 6
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Salvador Perez drove in a career-best five runs with a home run and double and Yordano Ventura picked up his first victory of the season as the Kansas City Royals held off the Detroit Tigers 8-6 on Tuesday night.
Perez, who had one home run and five RBIs in his first 12 games, clubbed a three-run homer in the fifth inning and a two-run double in the third. Both hits came with two outs as the Royals jumped out to an 8-2 lead after five innings.
Tigers catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia homered in his third consecutive game, a three-run blast to center off Royals left-handed reliever Danny Duffy.
After Duffy struck out the first two batters in the seventh, he yielded a a single to Victor Martinez and walked J.D. Martinez before serving up Saltalamacchia's fifth home run of the season. He is the first Tigers catcher to hit five home runs within the club's first 12 games.
Joakim Soria, who absorbed the loss on Sunday at Oakland, faced four Detroit batters in the eighth and retired only one. He was removed after walking Justin Upton on four pitches to load the bases.
Kelvin Herrera was summoned to face Miguel Cabrera and struck him out on three pitches. Herrera, however, hit Victor Martinez in the right knee with a pitch to force home Jose Iglesias. Herrera retired J.D. Martinez on a fly to right to end the inning.
Wade Davis pitched the ninth to log his sixth save in as many opportunities.
Tigers right-hander Shane Greene threw 31 pitches in the Royals' three-run second, which began with Kendrys Morales and Alex Gordon coaxing walks with full counts.
Jarrod Dyson, who was just activated off the disabled list, singled to left in his first at-bat of the season on Greene's first pitch, scoring Morales. Dyson and Gordon each moved up a base on the throw home.
Greene promptly got Alcides Escobar in an 0-2 hole and looking befuddled at the plate. But with a full count, Escobar punched a single over the head of shortstop Jose Iglesias, driving in two runs.
The Royals hiked their lead to 5-0 in the third on Perez's two-out, opposite-field double. Morales singled and Gordon walked ahead of Perez.
The Tigers got two runs back in the fifth. Cabrera, who struck out in his first two at-bats, laced a two-run double, scoring Ian Kinsler and Upton. The inning ended with Mike Aviles flying out to Dyson in shallow right with the bases loaded.
Perez made it 8-2 with a three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth, driving a 2-1 pitch from left-hander Blaine Hardy out to left with Eric Hosmer and Morales aboard. Hardy was making his season debut after coming off the disabled list.
Greene was pulled after 4 1/3 innings, allowing seven runs, six hits and four walks and hitting a batter.
Ventura, who threw 98 pitches in five innings, was replaced by Luke Hochevar to start the sixth. Ventura gave up two runs, six hits and three walks while striking out five.
NOTES: The Royals recalled OF Jarrod Dyson from a rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha and started him in right field. He pulled his right oblique in his first spring training at-bat and began the season on the disabled list. The Royals optioned OF Reymond Fuentes to Omaha. ... The Royals placed RP Dillon Gee on the paternity leave list and recalled RHP Miguel Almonte to take his roster spot. Gee is expected back Thursday. ... The Tigers activated LHP Blaine Hardy (shoulder) from the DL and designated RHP Logan Kensing for assignment. ... OF Cameron Maybin, who is rehabbing with Triple-A Toledo from a left wrist fracture, was hit by a pitch Sunday on the same wrist but in a different area. Manager Brad Ausmus said X-rays and a CT scan were "clean" and Maybin could resume his rehab assignment soon. ... Mike Aviles started at third base for the Tigers, his first start since April 9. Nick Castellanos has started the other 10 games at third. ... The Tigers assigned veteran C Humberto Quintero to a minor league contract. ... Tigers RHP Jordan Zimmermann and Royals RHP Ian Kennedy are the pitching probables for Wednesday. ... Tigers RHP Jeff Ferrell, who is on the DL with a rotator cuff impingement, began a rehab assignment with Class A Lakeland, throwing a scoreless innings against Brevard County, striking out one and allowing a hit.