Royals 6, Tigers 5
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Mike Moustakas had three hits, including a sixth-inning home run to break a tie, as the Kansas City Royals rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 6-5 on Saturday night.
Justin Verlander, who has a 15-3 career record against the Royals, took the loss, allowing six runs, eight hits and four walks in 5 2/3 innings.
Jeremy Guthrie claimed the victory, giving up five runs, 10 hits and two walks while striking out six in six innings.
Greg Holland pitched around a Victor Martinez one-out double in the ninth to log his 24th save.
Aaron Crow wiggled out of a jam in the eighth, stranding runners at second and third, by retiring Torii Hunter and Miguel Cabrera on ground balls to Moustakas at third.
Moustakas' homer, his seventh of the season, with two out in the fifth broke a 5-5 deadlock.
Austin Jackson and Miguel Cabrera walked and scored in the first inning on RBI singles by Prince Fielder and Martinez.
The Royals got a run back in the bottom of the inning. Alex Gordon led off with a walk abd scored on Salvador Perez's sacrifice fly to right.
The Tigers added a run in the second when Hunter's sacrifice fly scored Alex Avila, who led off the inning with a double.
Perez snapped an 0-for-11 skid with a two-run, two-out double in the third, scoring Eric Hosmer and Butler, to tie the score at 3.
The Royals forged ahead 5-3 in the fourth. Lorenzo Cain, Moustakas and David Lough opened the inning with singles to load the bases. After Alcides Escobar lined out to second, Chris Getz's fielder's choice grounder brought home Cain. Getz stole second and then Verlander walked Gordon and Hosmer to force in a run. Verlander threw 32 pitches in the inning.
Getz left in the fifth after he suffered a strained knee while attempting to field Fielder's hard-hit ground ball.
Detroit scored two in the fifth on Avila's two-out infield single off the glove of Elliot Johnson, who had replaced Getz, to tie it at 5.
Moustakas homered in the bottom of the fifth on a 2-0 Verlander pitch to put the Royals back on top 6-5.
NOTES: Perez, the Royals' catcher, has thrown out 31 percent of runners attempting to steal. ... Royals RHP Felipe Paulino threw a 45-pitch bullpen session on Friday and is scheduled to throw a two inning simulated game on Monday. He had Tommy John surgery last year and was has been setback by a tender shoulder. ... Tigers RHP Doug Fister, who starts Sunday, owns a 15-25 career record with a 3.63 ERA in the first half and is 22-21 with a 3.50 ERA in the second half. ... Chase Daniel, who set several Missouri passing records and is a Chiefs backup quarterback, was in attendance.
