Live Updates: Royals at Tigers (Game One)
The month of August is here, and for two AL Central teams, that means the start of a four-game series. The Royals (60-49) are facing the Detroit Tigers (52-57) at Comerica Park, with All-Star Seth Lugo set to start the series on the hill for Kansas City.
The end of July was productive for the Royals, with a sweep on the road of the mightily struggling Chicago White Sox. The Tigers sit at just below .500 and opted to send resurgent starting pitcher Jack Flaherty off to the Dodgers at the trade deadline, though ace and American League Cy Young pitcher Tarik Skubal stayed put. The home team at Comerica counters Lugo with Keider Montero, a rookie with six starts under his belt to date.
First pitch is set for 5:40 p.m. CT, with the game available to watch on local networks as well as fuboTV.
Live Updates:
Bottom 9:
- Pinch hitter Andy Ibanez flies out to short, ending the game. FINAL: Royals 7, Tigers 1.
- Malloy strikes out on a foul tip.
- Perez walks.
- Keith strikes out swinging.
- Will Smith is on to pitch for the Royals.
Top 9:
- Pasquantino flies out. Last chance coming for the Tigers.
- Witt Jr. hits an RBI double and the top three in the order keeps it going. It is now 7-1.
- Garcia lines out.
- Isbel is hit by a pitch.
- Hampson grounds out.
Bottom 8:
- Vierling flies out, and Lugo is through eight innings with a 6-1 lead.
- Ryan Vilade pinch hits for Detroit and grounds out to second.
- McKinstry grounds out.
Top 8:
- Fermin grounds out to retire the side. 6-1 Kansas City.
- Massey hit by a pitch. Two on with two out.
- Sean Guenther is now pitching for the Tigers.
- Renfroe gets aboard on a two-out single.
- Salvador Perez flies out to Wenceel Perez. Two gone.
- Vinnie Pasquantino hits his second home run of the game. The Royals have started to pull away, as it's now 6-1.
- Bobby Witt Jr. hits his 20th home run of the season to center field. 5-1, Royals.
- Garcia flies out.
- Brenan Hanifee is the new Detroit pitcher.
Bottom 7:
- Urshela grounds out to retire the side. Royals lead 4-1.
- Dingler strikes out swinging. The throw down is completed. Two out.
- Madris grounds out to second.
Top 7:
- Isbel grounds out. Kansas City gets another run across, but Montero did a fine job not letting things get out of hand after the opening frame. Stretch time in Detroit.
- Hampson grounds out, but a double play is not turned and Fermin advances.
- Fermin gets ahold of an RBI single, scoring Massey and making it 4-1.
- Massey doubles.
- Renfroe lines out to Perez.
- Montero is back on to pitch.
Bottom 6:
- Malloy flies out, stranding the runner. On to the late innings.
- Perez grounds out, but again, the Tigers get the runner over. Vierling is 90 feet away from making this a one-run game.
- Keith grounds out softly, but Vierling advances to scoring position.
Top 6:
- Perez grounds out. A quality start thus far for Montero. 3-1 Kansas City.
- Pasquantino lines out to McKinstry.
- Witt Jr. grounds out.
Bottom 5:
- Kreidler hits into an inning-ending double play. Nothing doing for the Tigers, who still trail 3-1.
- McKinstry flies out.
- Urshela hits a single.
Top 5:
- Garcia lines out. A good job by Montero throughout the evening after his tough first inning.
- Isbel pops out in foul ground.
- Hampson grounds out, advancing the runner.
- Fermin singles.
Bottom 4:
- Dingler flies out, stranding Malloy at second, who'd advanced on a passed ball. The Tigers are on the board.
- Bligh Madris hits a sacrifice fly, scoring Keith. The Tigers cut the Royals' lead to 3-1.
- Malloy hits into a fielder's choice. Perez is retired, but runners are on the corners with one out.
- Perez singles.
- Keith singles. First Tigers hit of the day.
Top 4:
- Massey hits into an inning-ending double play.
- Renfroe strikes out.
- Perez singles. Montero had retired nine straight.
Bottom 3:
- Vierling grounds out. Still no score for the Tigers.
- Ryan Kreidler grounds out.
- Zach McKinstry flies out.
Top 3:
- Pasquantino grounds out to second. Strong pair of innings for Montero.
- Witt Jr. goes down swinging.
- Garcia flies out.
Bottom 2:
- Gio Urshela lines out to left. Still 3-0 Royals.
- Dillon Dingler goes down looking.
- Bligh Madris strikes out swinging.
Top 2:
- Kyle Isbel flies out to retire the side. Montero bounces back.
- Garrett Hampson goes down on strikes.
- Freddy Fermin grounds out.
Bottom 1:
- Justyn-Henry Malloy grounds out to end the inning. 3-0, Kansas City after one.
- Wenceel Perez flies out to right.
- Colt Keith works a walk.
- Matt Vierling flies out to first.
Top 1:
- Michael Massey flies out. The Tigers, down 3-0 already, face an uphill battle in the opener of this series.
- Hunter Renfroe grounds out to short.
- Salvador Perez flies out on a payoff pitch.
- Vinnie Pasquantino hits a three-run bomb, his 13th home run of the season, and it's 3-0 Royals before the first out of the game is recorded.
- Bobby Witt Jr. walks after a long plate appearance. Garcia takes third.
- Maikel Garcia starts the game off with a single to right, then steals second.
Pregame:
- Royals starting lineup: 1. Maikel Garcia, third base; 2. Bobby Witt Jr., shortstop; 3. Vinnie Pasquantino, third base; 4. Salvador Perez, catcher; 5. Hunter Renfroe, right field; 6. Michael Massey, second base; 7. Freddy Fermin, designated hitter; 8. Garrett Hampson, left field; 9. Kyle Isbel, center field; P: Seth Lugo (R)
- Tigers starting lineup: 1. Matt Vierling, center field; 2. Colt Keith, second base; 3. Wenceel Perez, right field; 4. Justyn-Henry Malloy, designated hitter; 5. Bligh Madris, first base; 6. Dillon Dingler, catcher; 7. Gio Urshela, third base; 8. Zach McKinstry, left field; 9. Ryan Kreidler, shortstop; P: Keider Montero (R)