Kansas City (31-57) at Detroit (42-45)
Currently: - Game info: 7:05 pm EDT Fri Jul 15, 2005
- TV: RTN, FSD
Matt Stairs and the last-place Kansas City Royals will look to build on their best offensive game of the season when they continue their four-game series with the Detroit Tigers.
Stairs hit two home runs, including a grand slam, and tied a career high with six RBIs to lead Kansas City to a 12-9 victory on Thursday.
The veteran slugger struggled in the first half of the season, hitting .252 with eight home runs and 27 RBIs. During the All-Star break, he went home to Maine, spent time with his family and watched hitting tapes of himself earlier in his career with Oakland.
“When you get 37 years old and you get three days off, you feel pretty good when you come back,” said Stairs, who hit his ninth career grand slam.
“One of those things where you definitely have to give guys credit for getting on base,” he said. “To get the ball in the air and get a grand slam is a bonus.”
Starter Zack Greinke won for the first time since May 31 and David DeJesus added three hits and two RBIs for Kansas City, which won for the fifth time in its last seven games.
Chris Shelton homered and drove in three runs, Craig Monroe homered and had two RBIs, and Magglio Ordonez drove in two runs for Detroit, which had won five of six prior to the All-Star break.
“Definitely not the way we wanted to start the second half,” Shelton said.
Detroit got some bad news prior to the game as it placed closer Troy Percival on the 15-day disabled list with a torn right forearm muscle, the same injury that sidelined the struggling right-hander for nearly a month earlier in the season.
Percival is 1-3 with a 5.76 ERA and eight saves in his first season with Detroit after signing a two-year contract in the offseason. He spent the previous 10 seasons with the Anaheim Angels, and is the only pitcher with 30 or more saves in each of the last seven seasons.
Team Comparison
| Team | Record | Standings | Away/Home | Streak | L10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | 56-106 | 5th Central | Away 22-59 | Lost 1 | 4-6 |
| Detroit | 71-91 | 4th Central | Home 39-42 | Lost 5 | 4-6 |
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