Recap: Kansas City vs. Detroit
Sports Network | August 24, 2008
Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Jose Guillen homered and Mark Teahen drove in three runs, as the Kansas City Royals topped the Detroit Tigers, 7-3, to avoid a three-game sweep and halt a seven-game losing streak.
Esteban German and Miguel Olivo also knocked in a run for Kansas City, while Alberto Callaspo finished 3-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.
Brandon Duckworth (1-0), who had his contract purchased from Triple-A Omaha before the game, picked up the win after he allowed three runs on seven hits and four walks in five innings of work.
Placido Polanco had three hits and two RBI for the Tigers, who lost for the fourth time in their last nine games. Carlos Guillen and Marcus Thames both went 2-for-4.
Kenny Rogers (9-11) suffered the loss, tagged for seven runs -- six earned -- on eight hits over six innings. The veteran left-hander also walked four and struck out four.
The Tigers grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first on Magglio Ordonez's RBI single, then tacked on two more runs in the second. With a runner on first and two gone, Brandon Inge and Curtis Granderson drew consecutive walks to load the bases for Polanco, who lined a two-run single to center for a 3-0 Tigers advantage.
However, the Royals responded with a pair of runs in their half of the second. Jose Guillen led off the frame by slugging an offering from Rogers over the wall in left. Billy Butler then walked and Ross Gload had a one-out double before Teahen drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.
A miscue in the field and a wild pitch contributed to a two-run fifth for the Royals. Callaspo hit a soft liner to right and Mike Aviles pulled a single to left that Thames bobbled, which allowed both runners to take an extra base. A German sac fly drove in the tying run. Aviles advanced to third on the play and later scored when Rogers uncorked a wild pitch for a 4-3 Royals lead.
The Royals put the game out of reach with three runs in the sixth. Jose Guillen walked and Butler doubled over the head of Thames in left to begin the inning. Joey Gathright came on as a pinch-runner for Guillen and scored when Olivo grounded into a fielder's choice. One out later, Teahen made it a 7-3 game with a two-run single.
Guillen's homer was his 17th of the season...Rogers has dropped five of his last six starts...Kip Wells tossed two scoreless innings of relief for Kansas City...Detroit left nine men on base, while the Royals stranded seven...The Royals also announced Sunday that they optioned pitcher Josh Newman to Omaha and transferred pitcher Luke Hochevar from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list, effectively ending the right-hander's season.
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