Tigers win fifth straight on Wenceel Perez's homer in eighth inning
The Tigers' winning streak reached five games with a 2-1 win over the Royals at Comerica Park.
Detroit – Wenceel Perez, inserted into the game in the top of the inning, led off the bottom of the inning with a home run to right field, sending the Tigers to their fifth straight win, 2-1 over the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park Wednesday night. He had been 0 for 10 in the young season, but he launched a 1-1 changeup from reliever Eli Morgan 360 feet into the right-field seats. Kenley Jansen, as he did Tuesday night, pitched a scoreless ninth to earn save No.
4 on the season, 480 for his career. It was a 1-1 game through six innings. Tigers starter Jack Flaherty limited the Royals to a run and two hits before departing.
He was spotting a lively four-seam fastball (93. 7 mph) and keeping the hitters off balance with a clever mixing of sliders and knuckle-curves. He ended up with seven strikeouts, getting 10 whiffs on 33 swings (seven on 16 with the knuckle-curve and slider) and 20 called strikes (11 with the four-seamer).
He created his own mess with back-to-back walks in the fifth inning. Kyle Isbel cashed in one of them with a two-out single. It was the sixth straight game a Tigers’ starting pitcher went at least 5.