Upton hits homer, double to send Tigers over Royals
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Justin Upton homered, doubled and drove in three runs as the Detroit Tigers topped the Kansas City Royals 6-5 Sunday afternoon.
Upton homered with Miguel Cabrera aboard with two outs in the eighth inning to give the Tigers the lead. Upton's double in the second scored J.D. Martinez.
Upton homered off Joakim Soria (4-7), who lost for the second time on this homestand.
J.D. Martinez, who fractured his right elbow June 16 while running into the wall at Kauffman Stadium, homered in the fourth. He is hitting .397 with eight home runs and 17 RBIs in 30 games since coming off the disabled list.
The Royals sent nine men to the plate in a four-run seventh to take an abbreviated 5-4 lead and chase left-handed starter Daniel Norris. Jarrod Dyson's triple with two outs off of Alex Wilson scored Kendrys Morales and Salvador Perez to tie the score. Paulo Orlando's double score Dyson.
Whit Merrifield's sacrifice fly scored Eric Hosmer, who led off the inning with a walk, with the first run.
Alcides Escobar led off the ninth with a double off Francisco Rodriguez but was stranded at third. Francisco Rodriguez picked up his 38th save.
Royals right-hander Edinson Volquez was pulled with two outs in the seventh, permitting four runs on seven hits -- one a home run -- while striking out five and walking one.
Norris was charged with three runs on four hits in six-plus innings in a no-decision.
Escobar extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a home run to left-center on a 2-1 Norris pitch for the first Kansas City run. Escobar has an extra-base hit or RBI in 12 of his past 15 games.
The Royals dropped four of the final five games of this homestand to the New York Yankees and Tigers -- two teams they are contending with in the wild-card chase.
NOTES: Royals LF Alex Gordon did not start on Sunday because of a sore right ankle, but manager Ned Yost said he was available. ... Royals OF Lorenzo Cain was unavailable because of left wrist inflammation, which has kept him out since Tuesday. ... The Tigers will recall LHP Matt Boyd to start Tuesday's game at the White Sox. ... Tigers OF Cameron Maybin has not played since Monday because of a left thumb contusion. ... RHP Mike Pelfrey gave up five runs on nine hits with a strikeout in 3 1/3 innings in a rehab start Saturday for Triple-A Toledo at Columbus. He went on the disabled list Aug. 1 with a lower back strain. ... The Tigers will continue their trip Monday at Chicago with Cy Young candidates Detroit RHP Justin Verlander and White Sox LHP Chris Sale starting the series opener. ... The Royals will start RHP Ian Kennedy Monday at Minnesota for the first contest of a six-game trip. The Twins will recall RHP Jose Berrios, who struck out 14 in his last start with Triple-A Rochester, and start him Monday. Berrios is 2-4 with a 9.24 ERA in the majors this season.