Wenceel Perez hit a go-ahead eighth-inning home run and the host Detroit Tigers extended their winning streak to five games with a 2-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday.
Perez’s first homer of the season made a winner of reliever Kyle Finnegan (1-0), who tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth for his fourth save and second in as many nights. Detroit also defeated Kansas City 2-1 in the series opener on Tuesday.
Jake Rogers drove in the other run for the Tigers. Gleyber Torres had a three-hit game.
Kyle Isbel’s RBI single accounted for the lone Royals run. Kansas City has scored two or fewer runs in 11 games this season.
The starting pitchers engaged in a duel most of the way. Kansas City’s Seth Lugo gave up one run and five hits in 6 2/3 innings. He didn’t issue a walk while striking out seven.
Detroit’s Jack Flaherty allowed one run on two hits in six innings. He walked three and also struck out seven.
Tigers infielder Zach McKinstry departed the game in the seventh inning after the Royals’ Jac Caglianone collided with him.
Caglianone had a leadoff triple in the third but was thrown out at home on a fielder’s choice. In the bottom of the inning, Detroit took the lead.
McKinstry led off with a single and Javier Baez followed with a double. McKinstry was thrown out trying to score on the play, but Baez advanced to third on the relay.
Rogers then lifted a fly ball to right field. Caglianone’s throw beat Baez to the plate but Baez made a nifty slide and tapped the plate to elude catcher Salvador Perez’s tag. Baez was originally ruled out but the call was overturned upon replay review.
Kansas City tied it in the fifth. Michael Massey and Caglianone drew walks before Massey scored on Isbel’s two-out hit.
Perez launched a changeup from Eli Morgan (0-1) over the right-field wall to lead off the bottom of the eighth.
