DETROIT (AP) — The crowd cheered Michael Fulmer and booed the decision to pull him.

That was the only real drama at the end — after the talented right-hander had shut down Kansas City for almost the entire game.

Fulmer came within one out of a shutout, and the Tigers hit three home runs in a 7-3 victory over the Royals on Thursday. A late Kansas City rally cost Fulmer a complete game after he’d faced only one batter above the minimum through eight innings.

“Just one out short,” Fulmer said. “It happens. I felt like, stuff was good all game, and then, even in that ninth inning, get two quick outs. Wasn’t trying to overdo anything. I felt like they fouled off some great pitches, and ultimately just found holes that one inning.”

Fulmer (7-6) appeared headed for his second big league shutout. He was at only 88 pitches after Alex Gordon grounded out for the second out of the ninth, but then Ramon Torres and Jorge Bonifacio singled, and Drew Butera drove them in with a double.

Justin Upton dropped Eric Hosmer’s soft liner to left field for an error, allowing another run to come in. By that point, Fulmer was up to 104 pitches, and the crowd booed when manager Brad Ausmus came out and removed him.

“I just felt like the momentum was shifting and I didn’t really want to bring it down to the wire where all of a sudden the tying run’s at the plate,” Ausmus said. “Trust me, I wanted to see Michael Fulmer go nine innings, too, but I also don’t want to give the other team any hope.”

Justin Wilson struck out Brandon Moss to end it.

Upton, Ian Kinsler and Andrew Romine went deep for the Tigers. Jakob Junis (2-2) allowed a three-run homer to Upton in the first, as well as a solo shot by Kinsler in the third and a two-run drive by Romine in the fourth.

Fulmer retired his first nine hitters. The reigning AL Rookie of the Year allowed seven hits, with seven strikeouts and no walks.

The first four batters reached base off Junis. Upton opened the scoring with his 15th home run of the year. Kinsler made it 4-0 with his ninth.

Romine’s drive to right was his third home run of the year, a career high. He hit two in each of the previous three seasons.

J.D. Martinez battled through a 15-pitch at-bat against reliever Kevin McCarthy in the seventh, finally hitting an RBI single to make it 7-0.

“I was just trying to give it to him, like, `Put it in play,” McCarthy said. “After a couple, it was like, `Damn.’ I didn’t know what else to do.”

Junis allowed six runs and seven hits in six innings.

SOLID DEFENSE

Part of the reason Fulmer was able to keep his pitch count down was because the Tigers turned double plays following three of Kansas City’s first four hits.

“Middle infield did awesome,” Fulmer said. “I try to get them as many groundballs as I can, especially with a guy on first. They all know how to turn it well.”

SNAPPED

The Royals lost two of three in this set, failing in their bid for a sixth consecutive series victory.

“We just didn’t pitch good today, and matched up against a really, really good pitcher,” manager Ned Yost said. “Had the opportunity to win the series, but Fulmer was just too much for us.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: Gordon hit a single in the sixth that bounced off Fulmer and through the left side of the infield. Detroit’s trainer came out to check on Fulmer’s right leg, but he was able to stay in the game. … Martinez appeared to foul a pitch off his right foot during his long at-bat in the seventh. He was removed for a pinch-runner after his single.

UP NEXT

Royals: Kansas City returns home to host Minnesota on Friday night. Royals LHP Jason Vargas (11-3) tries to become the AL’s first 12-game winner when he takes on RHP Ervin Santana (10-4).

Tigers: Detroit hosts Cleveland, with RHP Anibal Sanchez (0-0) taking the mound for the Tigers against RHP Josh Tomlin (4-9).

— Associated Press —

DETROIT (AP) — There was no way any Detroit outfielder was going to catch this drive by Salvador Perez.

A night after he was robbed of an extra-base hit by the center fielder, Perez hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning, and the Kansas City Royals went on to an 8-2 victory over the Tigers on Wednesday. Mike Moustakas followed Perez’s long home run by going deep as well, part of a four-run fourth inning by the Royals.

Perez’s shot cleared the Kansas City bullpen and hit the brick facing behind the seats. It was measured at 451 feet by Statcast.

“I hit it pretty good,” Perez said.

Ian Kennedy (2-6) allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings for the Royals, earning his second victory in three starts. He gave up solo homers to Miguel Cabrera and Alex Avila, but only after Kansas City had jumped to a 5-0 lead.

Daniel Norris (4-6) permitted five runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings. Six of those hits came in the fourth.

“I’ve got to find a way to keep out of those big innings,” Norris said. “There have been games that have felt better, but this is two bad starts in a row now. I got through six innings in Seattle, but I gave up five, and then today I don’t even get through four and give up five. I have to be better than that.”

The Royals snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 16-8 in June.

Perez’s deep fly ball the previous night was caught by Mikie Mahtook on a spectacular play in right-center. He gave the Tigers no chance to run down his homer to left-center on Wednesday, which came on a 3-0 pitch. Moustakas followed with his 20th home run of the season, giving the Royals a 4-0 lead.

“One homer is good,” Perez said. “Back-to-back feels better.”

Alex Gordon, who had opened the scoring with an RBI single an inning earlier, added a run-scoring double in the fourth to make it 5-0.

Avila led off the bottom of the fourth with his 11th homer, and Cabrera hit his 10th two innings later.

Gordon hit a run-scoring groundout in the eighth. Perez added an RBI double in the ninth and scored on Jorge Soler’s single.

BOTTOM OF THE ORDER

Gordon, the No. 9 hitter for Kansas City, had his first multi-RBI game since April 8. Alcides Escobar, batting one spot ahead of Gordon, had three hits.

“For me, Esky and Gordy at the bottom of the order were huge,” manager Ned Yost said. “Esky three hits, Gordy with three RBI — a big night for them.”

STRONG RELIEF

After Norris was pulled in the fourth, Warwick Saupold came on and allowed just one run and three hits in 4 1/3 innings.

“He really saved the bullpen again today,” Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. “He’s done that for us a few times lately, but it was crucial this time with the doubleheader (against Cleveland) coming up on Saturday.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Kansas City put IF Cheslor Cuthbert on the 10-day DL with a left wrist sprain. The move was retroactive to Monday. The Royals recalled Soler from Triple-A Omaha.
Tigers: Detroit activated DH Victor Martinez, who had been on the DL because of an irregular heartbeat. Martinez came out of a June 15 game with a racing heartbeat, dizziness and cold sweats and eventually went to the hospital when the symptoms continued. “We don’t feel like this is going to be an issue going forward,” Ausmus said. “Hopefully, it’s just a one-time event that never occurs again.”

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Jakob Junis (2-1) starts the finale of this three-game series Thursday against Detroit. A victory would give Kansas City its sixth consecutive series win.

Tigers: RHP Michael Fulmer (6-6) starts for Detroit.

— Associated Press —

DETROIT (AP) — J.D. Martinez and Miguel Cabrera homered and Justin Verlander pitched seven strong innings as the Detroit Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals 5-3 on Tuesday night.

Verlander (5-4) was down 3-0 before getting an out, but didn’t allow another run as the Tigers won their second straight after an eight-game losing streak. He gave up three runs, nine hits and a walk, striking out six.

Three relievers finished for the Tigers, with Justin Wilson pitching the ninth for his seventh save.

Matt Strahm (2-5) gave up five runs and six hits in 3 2/3 innings for the Royals.

The Royals got off to a quick start against Verlander. Whit Merrifield started the game with a ground-rule double over the 420-foot sign in center and the next four batters singled to give Kansas City a three-run lead with no outs in the first.

Verlander, though, retired the next three batters to escape the inning without further damage. After the five hits to start the game, he got 21 outs while only allowing four singles.

Martinez led off the bottom of the second with his 12th homer, and Cabrera put the Tigers ahead 4-3 with a three-run, opposite-field homer in the third.

Peter Moylan replaced Strahm with runners on the corners and two outs in the fourth, but Ian Kinsler lined an RBI single up the middle to give the Tigers a 5-3 lead.

Tigers centerfielder Mikie Mahtook received a standing ovation and a hug from Verlander when he ran down Salvador Perez’s hit to the deepest part of the park, making a leaping catch against the wall in right-centerfield to end the fifth inning.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Danny Duffy (oblique strain) is expected to throw his second rehab start for Triple-A Omaha on Thursday. Duffy, who has been out since May 28, will be aiming for four innings and 60 pitches.

Tigers: DH Victor Martinez (irregular heartbeat) took batting practice before Tuesday’s game and is expected to be activated from the DL on Wednesday. Martinez spent two nights in a local hospital after leaving Detroit’s June 15 game with cold sweats, dizziness and a racing heartbeat. He underwent monitoring last week while the Tigers were on the road.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy (1-6, 4.95 ERA) will start the second game of the series on Wednesday. Kennedy has only beaten the Tigers once in seven career starts, and allowed five runs in three innings in a home loss to Detroit on May 31.

Tigers: RHP Daniel Norris (4-5, 4.66 ERA) pitches for Detroit on Wednesday, looking for his first career win against the Royals in his sixth start. He received a no-decision in Kansas City on May 29, giving up three runs in five innings.

— Associated Press —