DETROIT (AP) — Wenceel Pérez singled with two out in the 11th inning and the Detroit Tigers rallied three times to beat the Kansas City Royals 6-5 on Saturday night.
The Tigers trailed in the ninth, 10th and 11th innings, and ended a five-game losing streak. Kansas City had won five straight.
“Our young guys are trying to grow and survive as major leaguers,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “It’s been a tough week, so I appreciate the fight.”
Parker Meadows led off the 11th with an RBI triple and the Royals intentionally walked Javier Báez. Jake Rogers hit into a double play, but Pérez lined a ball off the wall in right center field off James McArthur (4-5).
“What a game,” said Meadows, who also made a diving catch to rob Bobby Witt Jr. of a hit in the 10th inning. “I was just thinking about getting the runner to third, but he left the ball up and I was able to drive it.”
The Royals led 3-1 going into the ninth, but Bligh Madris led off the ninth inning with a home run off Hunter Harvey. Zach McKinstry followed with a pinch-hit double.
McKinstry took third on Meadows’ groundout and scored on Báez’s double. Báez stole third without a throw, but Pérez grounded out to end the inning.
“We’re going to take our chances in the ninth, up 3-1, with Hunter Harvey every time,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “They put some good swings on the ball — you have to give them credit.”
The Royals took a 4-3 lead in the 10th on Witt’s sacrifice fly off Jason Foley (3-3), but Meadows’ catch limited the damage and Justyn-Henry Malloy tied the game with a two-out double.
Witt went 0 for 4 with a walk, ending his 15-game hitting streak
“It went back and forth in extra innings,” Quatraro said. “On the road, you are going to have to score more than one, and we didn’t do that.”
Vinnie Pasquatino made it 1-0 in the sixth inning with a long homer off Kenta Maeda — his fourth homer in as many games — but Andy Ibáñez tied it with an RBI single in the bottom of the inning.
Paul DeJong put the Royals back in front 3-1 with a seventh-inning homer — the 18th homer off Maeda in 80 innings this season.
Hinch made an unusual defensive move early in the game. Pérez started the game in left field with Matt Vierling playing right, but they reversed positions for the second.
The first pitch was delayed 25 minutes by a ceremony to retire the No. 10 worn by former Tigers manager and 2024 Hall of Fame inductee Jim Leyland.
“We’re dedicating that one to Jim,” said Hinch, who got behind the plate to catch Leyland’s first pitch. “When I went down there, I wasn’t sure I was getting up, but it was great to celebrate before the game and after the game.”
UP NEXT
The teams finish the four-game series on Sunday afternoon, with Royals RHP Michael Wacha (8-6, 3.58 ERA) pitching against the Tigers’ bullpen.
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