Duffy wins 9th straight, Royals top Tigers
DETROIT -- Danny Duffy won his ninth straight decision with the aid of four solo home runs, including the first of Raul Mondesi's career, as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Detroit Tigers 6-1 on Tuesday at Comerica Park.
Duffy (10-1) limited the Tigers to one run on three hits while striking out five in 7 2/3 innings. He has the longest winning streak by a Royals pitcher since Jeremy Guthrie won 10 straight decisions in 2012-13.
The breakthrough homer for the 21-year-old Mondesi came in his 19th game and 60th official at-bat.
Alex Gordon, Eric Hosmer and Kendrys Morales also homered for Kansas City, which has won eight of 10. Gordon, who scored twice, stretched his hitting streak to seven games
Tigers starter Justin Verlander (12-7) allowed five runs -- three earned -- on four hits while striking out six in seven-plus innings.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia homered for Detroit, which has lost seven of its last nine. Slugger Miguel Cabrera sat out with a left biceps strain.
Hosmer's 16th home run to straightaway center gave the Royals a 3-1 lead in the seventh.
Sloppy play by the Tigers allowed the Royals to tack on two runs in the eighth. First baseman Saltalamacchia, filling in for Cabrera, failed to catch third baseman Casey McGehee's low throw on Gordon's leadoff grounder. Gordon reached second on the play and advanced to third on a single by Alcides Escobar, who reached second on left fielder Justin Upton's non-chalant relay throw.
A walk loaded the bases and ended Verlander's night. One out later, Chelsor Cuthbert's pop fly was dropped by second baseman Ian Kinsler, who then forced Escobar at third as Gordon scored. Lorenzo Cain followed with a run-scoring double for a 5-1 Royals lead.
Morales homered off Mark Lowe in the ninth.
Mondesi drilled an 0-1 pitch just inside the right-field foul pole to put the Royals on top in the third inning. Verlander retired the first eight batters prior to Mondesi's homer.
Verlander didn't allow another baserunner until Gordon crunched a 3-1 pitch over the right-field wall with two out in the fifth.
Duffy allowed just one baserunner until Saltalamacchia blasted his 11th home run over the center field wall, also with two out in the fifth.
NOTES: Detroit 1B Miguel Cabrera could return to the lineup as early as Wednesday. His left biceps strain, which forced him to leave Monday's game, is not considered serious. "If this was the last week of the season, I promise you Miggy would be playing and he'd want to be in there," manager Brad Ausmus said. ... The Tigers acquired INF Erick Aybar from the Atlanta Braves for INF Mike Aviles and minor league catcher Kade Scivicque prior to the game. Aviles was hitting .210 with one home run and six RBIs this season. Detroit also recalled OF Steven Moya from Triple-A Toledo. ... Kansas City RHP Wade Davis, who landed on the disabled list on July 31 with a flexor strain, threw 25 pitches in a side session on Tuesday. The team's closer will throw another side session on Thursday. ... Royals RHP Yordano Ventura, who is slated to start Wednesday's contest, has a 6-0 career record against Detroit.