KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Adeiny Hechavarria sidestepped catcher Salvador Perez, and instinct took over. Right hand, left hand — then straight to the highlight reels.

Hechavarria danced around Perez with an inventive slide at home plate to score the go-ahead run, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Kansas City Royals 2-1 on Monday night.

Hechavarria ran through third base coach Matt Quatraro’s stop sign on Matt Duffy’s single to right field in the sixth inning, deked to avoid Perez’s lunging tag attempted, then dived back toward the plate. Hechavarria faked toward the dish with his right hand, then jabbed his left hand just past Perez’s outstretched glove to touch the plate. Umpire Rob Drake immediately signaled him safe.

“That was pure instinct,” Hechavarria said through an interpreter. “I went in thinking, going into a slide, but he was right there kind of blocking the plate, so I went around. I was going to put one hand in, and I saw he was going to put one hand there, so I flipped and put the other hand in there just in time.”

Perez said he expected Hechavarria to jump or slide on a close play. Instead, the backstop ended up diving all over trying to follow Hechavarria’s body.

“He did a tremendous job changing hands,” Perez said. “I think the right hand at first and soon as he sees me (about) to tag him, then he changed from the right to the left and I was too late. That was a great slide. He was safe. We don’t challenge. It’s hard to prepare for that.”

Rays manager Kevin Cash was not pleased with one aspect of the winning run.

“Running through a stop sign, I guess he felt like being acrobatic,” Cash said. “That was a really impressive slide, but we’re probably not going to benefit from making those decisions too often, but it was nice that we did tonight.”

Ryan Yarbrough (3-2) allowed one run over five innings for Tampa Bay, and Duffy had three hits and drove in both runs. Alex Colome worked the ninth for his seventh save in nine opportunities.

Eric Skoglund (1-3) permitted two runs on seven hits, walked none and struck out four in 7 2/3 innings, his longest career outing. He tied a Royals’ record with six assists by a pitcher.

Whit Merrifield had three hits for his seventh multihit game in the past 14 and homered into the Rays’ bullpen to lead off the third.

Yarbrough gave up five hits and picked up his first career victory as a starter. Five Rays relievers held the Royals to one hit over the final four innings.

Jon Jay tripled with one out in the ninth, but Colome struck out Ryan Goins and retired Alex Gordon on a grounder to end the game.

C.J. Cron doubled in the first, extending his on-base streak to 20 games, and scored on Duffy’s single to right. Cron later hit a pitch from Skoglund after it bounced in front of home plate, knocking a line drive that was caught in left field in the sixth.

Yarbrough wriggled out of a bases-loaded jam with one out in the fifth. Alcides Escobar and Merrifield singled and Jorge Soler walked on four pitches. Mike Moustakas bounced a first pitch back to Yarbrough to start an inning-ending double play.

“We got some momentum change after the double play,” Yarbrough said.

ROSTER MOVES

Rays: RHP Andrew Kittredge was optioned to Triple-A Durham. Kittredge was 1-2 with a 9.72 ERA in 13 appearances. They recalled RHP Hunter Wood from Durham. The Rays will activate LHP Anthony Banda on Tuesday and start him against the Royals. Banda went 4-2 in seven starts at Durham.

Royals: IF-OF Hunter Dozier was recalled from Triple-A Omaha and made his first big league start at first base. Dozier, a 2013 first-round pick, played in eight games with the Royals in 2016, playing right field in seven and DHing in the other. He was hitting .254 in 35 games with the Storm Chasers.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rays: RHP Nathan Eovaldi was scratched from a minor league rehab start with a right rib muscle strain. He’s been on the disabled list all season with loose fragments in his pitching elbow.

Royals: 1B Lucas Duda was placed on the 10-day disabled list with right foot plantar fasciitis. RHP Justin Grimm has reported to Triple-A Omaha to begin a rehab assignment. He is on the disabled list with a lower back injury. Royals 3B Cheslor Cuthbert left after seven innings with back spasms.

UP NEXT

Rays: Banda will make his Tampa Bay debut after appearing in eight games last year with Arizona. He was acquired in a six-player, three-team trade in February, which also included the Yankees.

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy will try to rebound from a loss Thursday at Baltimore, where he allowed nine runs in four innings.

— Associated Press —

CLEVELAND (AP) — Corey Kluber was handed a big lead early in the game and the rest was simple.

Kluber became the American League’s first six-game winner and the Cleveland Indians beat the Kansas City Royals 11-2 on Sunday.

The Indians led 9-0 going into the fifth, leading to a stress-free afternoon for the reigning Cy Young Award winner, who gave up two unearned runs in seven innings, scattering eight hits.

“If you have a nine run cushion, obviously you have a bigger margin for error,” Kluber said. “They’ve always been pretty aggressive against me. It can work both ways. You can get some early contact and get some quick outs.”

Kluber (6-2) was backed by four hits from Yan Gomes, including a three-run homer. Jose Ramirez also hit a three-run shot and Michael Brantley had a two-run homer as the Indians had 15 hits.

“It was nice to get him some runs,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “He knows what to do with it.”

Kansas City manager Ned Yost knew the big deficit was a bad sign against Kluber, who also won the Cy Young in 2014.

“Yes, he’s that good,” Yost said. “He’s got a tremendous cutter, a real good curveball, and a fastball that starts at a hitter’s hip and just fades right back in over the corner. He’s got excellent command.”

Yankees starter Luis Severino later joined Kluber with six wins.

Gomes hit a fourth-inning home run off Danny Duffy (1-5), doubled in the second and singled in the third and sixth to match his career high for hits.

Ramirez’s homer capped a five-run second inning while Brantley homered in the seventh.

Francisco Lindor extended his hitting streak to a career-high 14 games with three hits, including an RBI single in the third. Lindor had two homers and two doubles Saturday. He got off to an inauspicious start Sunday, walking to home plate in the first inning wearing the wrong batting helmet.

A switch-hitter, Lindor had on the helmet he usually uses when he hits left-handed — with a protective flap on the right side. But he was facing the left-hander Duffy and was going to hit right-handed.

Lindor quickly realized the mistake, exchanged helmets with a bat boy and smiled when he returned to the batter’s box. Lindor flied out. Helmets with flaps on the side facing the pitcher have been mandatory for all players making their major league debuts since 1983.

Cleveland strung together a single, a double, two walks, a hit batter, a wild pitch and RBI ground balls by Greg Allen and Brantley in the second to take a 2-0 lead. Ramirez’s 12th homer of the season pushed the lead to five.

After striking out Brandon Guyer to finally end the inning, a frustrated Duffy tossed a cooler in the dugout but his day would only get worse. Lindor drove in another run in the following inning before Gomes hit his fifth homer of the season.

Duffy allowed nine runs in 3 1/3 innings. His fortunes were much different than his previous outing when the Royals scored 10 runs in the top of the first. Duffy allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings for his first win of the season.

Duffy, whose ERA jumped from 5.15 to 6.51, gave his performance a harsh critique.

“I just wasn’t making pitches,” he said. “There is nothing else to it. I don’t know what else to say. I have not been a good pitcher this year. There are no excuses. I’ve been letting my team down.”

PERFECT DAY?

Gomes fouled out to first baseman Lucas Duda in the seventh, ending his bid for a 5 for 5 afternoon. He admitted getting a fifth hit was on his mind.

“It’s an 11-2 ballgame, so you can take in some of the moment while you’re having your last at-bat,” he said. “I was going to be happy no matter what, I think.”

LOOK OUT

The ball boy seated in foul territory near the right field line moved quickly to avoid being hit by Rajai Davis’ foul line drive in the eight. The ball boy leaned back in his chair with his legs going in the air as the ball hit off the front of the stands a couple of feet away.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Justin Grimm (stiff lower back) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha. He appeared in 10 of Kansas City’s first 19 games before being placed on the disabled list on April 24.

Indians: CF Bradley Zimmer (bruised chest) was out of the lineup again and a trip to the disabled list is possible if he’s not ready in the next day or two. Zimmer has appeared in one game since crashing into the wall at Yankee Stadium on May 5. … LHP Ryan Merritt (shoulder inflammation) has been shut down for three to five days on his minor league rehab assignment.

UP NEXT

Royals LHP Eric Skogland (1-2, 6.34 ERA) takes on Rays LHP Ryan Yarbrough (2-2, 4.30 ERA) in the opener of a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium. Indians RHP Carlos Carrasco (5-1, 3.61 ERA) faces Tigers RHP Mike Fiers (3-2, 4.73 ERA) as the teams begin a three-game set at Comerica Park.

— Associated Press —

CLEVELAND (AP) — Andrew Miller, activated from the disabled list before the game, gave up Salvador Perez’s two-run homer in the seventh inning and the Kansas City Royals rallied to defeat the Cleveland Indians 10-9 on Friday night.

Miller, making his first appearance since straining his left hamstring April 25, allowed his first runs of the season and the Royals rallied from a 9-4 deficit.

Miller (1-1) entered the game in the seventh with a one-run lead, but walked Jon Jay on a 3-2 pitch. Jorge Soler and Mike Moustakas struck out before Perez hit a 1-1 pitch onto the home run porch in left field. Miller, who had pitched 10 scoreless innings before the injury, was removed following the homer.

The Indians have lost five of six. Cleveland went 5-9 and its bullpen had a 9.50 ERA while Miller was sidelined. Indians manager Terry Francona said consideration was given to have Miller make a couple of minor league rehab assignments, but the decision was made to activate the star left-hander.

Alcides Escobar had four RBI for Kansas City while Lucas Duda doubled three times and drove in a run. Jay had two RBI and Moustakas had three hits.

Brad Keller (1-1) pitched three scoreless innings for his first major league win. Kelvin Herrera retired the side in order in the ninth for his eighth save.

Michael Brantley’s grand slam capped a six-run fourth inning that gave Cleveland a 9-4 lead.

Brantley ended an eight-pitch at-bat by hitting a 2-2 delivery from Jason Hammel into the right field seats for his second grand slam this month and of his career. He also hit a game-tying grand slam in the ninth inning against Texas on May 1.

Kansas City scored a run in the fifth and three more in the sixth. Shortstop Francisco Lindor’s throwing error to start the sixth made two of the runs unearned. Rookie center fielder Greg Allen dropped a line drive in the third, leading to another unearned run.

Tyler Naquin’s two-run double in the fourth gave Cleveland a 5-4 lead. Jose Ramirez and Yonder Alonso homered in the first against Hammel, who hasn’t won since September 6, 2017, a stretch of 12 starts.

Indians starter Trevor Bauer allowed five runs and a career-high 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings. Hammel gave up nine runs, including three homers in 3 2/3 innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: OF Bradley Zimmer, still dealing with a bruised chest after running into the wall at Yankee Stadium last weekend, didn’t play. Allen replaced him in center and dropped a fly ball in the third leading to an unearned run. …. Naquin was removed in the top of the fifth with left hamstring tightness.

UP NEXT

Royals RHP Jakob Junis (4-2, 3.18 ERA) takes on Indians RHP Mike Clevinger (2-0, 2.76 ERA). Clevinger struck out a career-high 10 in his last start at the Yankees on May 6.

— Associated Press —

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles are finally riding another winning streak, five weeks after their last one.

Adam Jones homered, scored three runs and had three RBI, and Baltimore outslugged the Kansas City Royals 11-6 Thursday night.

Manny Machado and Trey Mancini also went deep for the Orioles, who trailed 4-0 in the first inning and 6-3 in the second before rallying to beat the Royals for the second night in a row. The only other time Baltimore (10-27) won successive games this season was April 5-6 at Yankee Stadium.

“Obviously, we’ve got a long way to go. We know that,” Mancini said. “You just try to string some wins together and maybe be in a decent spot.”

The Orioles had seven extra-base hits and eclipsed their previous season high of eight runs by the fourth inning.

That was enough to overcome another awful start by Chris Tillman, who yielded six runs and got only four outs. With a 1-5 record and a 10.46 ERA, his time in the rotation — or on the roster — may be coming to an end.

“Same challenges he’s had: stuff was a little short and command was short. That’s a bad combination,” manager Buck Showalter said. “It’s tough to watch him struggle like that, especially with the success he’s had in the past.”

Tillman was 16-6 in 2016 and is 2-12 since.

“I’m just not getting it done. It’s not good right now,” he said.

Miguel Castro (1-1) replaced Tillman and blanked Kansas City over 4 2/3 innings, his longest outing of the season.

“Castro came in and neutralized us,” Kansas City manager Ned Yost said.

Salvador Perez hit a grand slam for the Royals, who were seeking their second series win of the year.

“We had a good first inning with the grand slam, and I said, `Here we go,” Yost said.

By the fourth inning, Kansas City trailed 9-6.

Ian Kennedy (1-4) gave up eight hits, including three home runs. The nine runs he allowed were the second-most of his career.

“The guys scored a bunch of runs for me and I can’t hold it,” the right-hander said. “I’m really disappointed.”

After starting Tuesday night’s game at Camden Yards with a 10-run first inning, the Royals settled for a four-run first in the finale. A single and two walks set the table for Perez, who ripped an 0-2 pitch from Tillman over the right-field scoreboard.

Machado connected with a man on in the bottom half to make it 4-3, but Tillman gave up a two-run single by Jorge Soler in the second, prompting his early exit.

Jones hit a two-run shot in the third to get Baltimore to 6-5, and the Orioles completed the comeback in the fourth.

After Chance Sisco doubled in two runs, Mancini followed with his fourth home run.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: CF Abraham Almonte did not play because he was still experiencing symptoms of the illness that caused him to be removed from Wednesday night’s game. … RHP Justin Grimm (back stiffness) threw a bullpen session and could start a rehab assignment next week, Yost said.

Orioles: DH Pedro Alvarez hurt his hamstring on the bases and was replaced in the fifth inning. … An MRI on RHP Darren O’Day’s hyperextended elbow was “remarkably clean,” Showalter said. There is no indication yet whether O’Day can come off the DL when eligible on May 16. … INF Engelb Vielma fractured his kneecap when he tripped over the bullpen mound while chasing a foul ball in a minor league game. Vielma played in six games with Baltimore this season.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Perez hit his second career grand slam on his 28th birthday . He is the 16th different KC player to homer on his birthday, and only the second to hit a slam. Mike Sweeney did it on July 22, 2004.

UP NEXT

Royals: Still looking for his first win, Jason Hammel (0-4, 4.78 ERA) makes his eighth start of the year Friday night as KC opens a three-game series in Cleveland.

Orioles: Kevin Gausman (2-2, 3.30) helps Baltimore open a four-game series against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night. The right-hander has lowered his ERA in each of his last six starts.

— Associated Press —

BALTIMORE (AP) — Mark Trumbo delivered a tiebreaking two-run single in the eighth inning, Chris Davis homered and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Kansas City Royals 5-3 Wednesday night to end a seven-game losing streak.

Jonathan Schoop had two hits and scored twice for the Orioles, who lost 18 of their previous 21 games.

Lucas Duda homered and drove in three runs for the Royals.

With two outs in the eighth, Manny Machado legged out a slow roller to third base for an infield single and Schoop sent him to third with a double. Trumbo then hit a liner up the middle that knocked Kansas City pitcher Kevin McCarthy (3-1) off his feet.

Richard Bleier (3-0) worked two innings and Brad Brach got three outs for his fourth save, striking out Jon Jay to end it with runners on second and third.

Orioles starter Andrew Cashner gave up three runs and six hits in six innings, his sixth straight outing without a victory.

Kansas City rookie Eric Skoglund allowed three runs and five hits over 6 1/3 innings in his 11th career start.

Unlike on Tuesday night, when the first eight Royals reached base in a 10-run first inning, Cashner kept Kansas City hitless into the fourth. With two outs, Salvador Perez singled and Duda ripped an 0-1 pitch over the center-field wall.

In the bottom half, singles by Adam Jones and Schoop preceded a two-out, opposite-field shot to left by Davis. It was his second homer in two nights after he connected only twice through his first 31 games.

Kansas City tied it in the sixth when Jorge Soler doubled and scored on two-out bloop single by Duda. The Royals then loaded the bases before Cashner retired Alcides Escobar on a comebacker.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: CF Abraham Almonte left in the sixth with an illness. … RHP Justin Grimm (lower back stiffness) is getting closer to starting a rehabilitation assignment. On the DL since April 22, he threw live batting practice on Tuesday. “Felt really good, looked really good,” manager Ned Yost said.

Orioles: Relief pitcher Darren O’Day was placed on the 10-day DL with a hyperextended right elbow. … Baltimore closer Zach Britton (Achilles tendon) threw a bullpen. Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Bundy could pitch in a minor league game before the end of the month, but “probably” not before May 28.

LOSING HURTS

Baltimore’s rocky start has been tough on everyone in the organization, including Showalter. “This game can beat up on anybody,” he said. “I didn’t need to have the period we’re in right now to remind me of that.”

UP NEXT

Royals: Ian Kennedy (1-3, 2.92 ERA) starts Thursday for the Royals, who will seek to win their second series of the year. Kennedy is 0-2 with a 6.98 ERA in five career appearances against Baltimore.

Orioles: Chris Tillman (1-5, 9.24) has yielded at least four runs in four of his five starts. In his last outing, the right-hander gave up seven runs and seven hits in one inning against the Angels.

— Associated Press —

BALTIMORE (AP) — Dylan Bundy set a dubious modern-day record, yielding four homers and leaving without getting an out, part of a 10-run first inning that propelled the Kansas City Royals past the hapless Baltimore Orioles 15-7 Tuesday night.

Bundy (1-5) was lifted after allowing five hits and two walks to the only seven batters he faced. That was more than enough damage to send the Orioles to their season-high seventh straight defeat and 19th in 22 games.

Jon Jay started the onslaught with a leadoff single before Jorge Soler, Mike Moustakas and Salvador Perez homered in succession.

Two walks and a home run by Alex Gordon followed, ending Bundy’s night after just 28 pitches. It marked the first time in the current era (1908-present) that a pitcher gave up four home runs during an outing in which he did not retire a batter, according to baseball-reference.com.

After compiling a 1.42 ERA after his first five starts, Bundy has given up 19 earned runs over his last three games to boost his ERA to 5.31.

Following Bundy’s departure, the Royals did not let up.

Alcides Escobar greeted Mike Wright with a single, the eighth straight batter to reach base. After No. 9 hitter Ryan Goins grounded out, many disgruntled fans in the crowd of 10,863 mustered a mock cheer. Minutes later, however, Moustakas singled in two runs and Perez capped the uprising with a sacrifice fly.

Moustakas finished with three hits, two homers and five RBI to help KC reach season highs in runs and hits (20). Gordon had four hits and three RBI, and Soler also drove in three runs.

Dan Duffy (1-4) allowed one run and six hits over 5 1/3 innings.

Chris Davis, Danny Valencia and Caleb Joseph hit solo homers for the Orioles, who were seeking to rebound from a second straight 0-6 road trip.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Justin Grimm (lower back stiffness) is “getting better,” manager Ned Yost said, offering no timetable for his return.

Orioles: 2B Jonathan Schoop was activated from the disabled list after spending three weeks trying to recover from a strained right oblique. He hit a two-run single in the ninth.

ANOTHER RECORD

The four homers in one inning tied a Royals record. It was the third time it happened, the last previously in 2001.

UP NEXT

Royals: KC can win its second series of the season with a victory Wednesday night behind Erik Skoglund (1-2, 6.84 ERA), who’s 0-2 with a 12.06 ERA in five career outings on the road.

Orioles: Andrew Cashner (1-4, 4.89) tries to get Baltimore its first win in more than a week.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Mike Moustakas helped the Kansas City Royals win a series for the first time in 11 tries this season.

Moustakas drove in three runs with a double and sacrifice fly, and the Royals beat Detroit 4-2 on Sunday to take three of four from the Tigers.

Kansas City had lost nine previous series this year and split one.

“We’ve been going out and grinding and playing good baseball,” Moustakas said. “Obviously things haven’t really been going our way. Lately we’ve been playing great ball. Things are starting to fall for us. Our staff has been doing phenomenal and our defense is always there. If we keep doing those things, we’re going to keep getting better.”

Kansas City has won six of its last nine games, leaving the Royals at 11-23.

Jakob Junis (4-2) improved to 3-0 against the Tigers this year and matched his career high with eight strikeouts. He allowed two runs and eight hits in seven-plus innings.

“The slider was working,” Junis said. “I had a lot of strikeouts and strikeouts in big situations. Strikeouts are always good.”

Kelvin Herrera retired pinch-hitter Nicholas Castellanos on a game-ending flyout with a man on for his seventh save in eight chances, ending a game that took just 2 hours, 16 minutes.

Matthew Boyd (1-3) gave up four runs and six hits in seven innings, dropping to 2-6 against Kansas City.

“We got a lot of weak contact,” Boyd said. “I made most of my pitches all game, it’s just that Moustakas was one of my mistakes. I didn’t make my pitch there. It’s unfortunate that the game came down to the Moustakas matchup. I threw the pitch I wanted to. I just didn’t execute it like I wanted to. I had a chance to put him away earlier in the count and I didn’t do that.”

Moustakas hit a sacrifice fly in the first and had a two-run double to the base of the center-field wall in the third. Moustakas scored when Salvador Perez singled on a popup that shortstop Jose Iglesias lost in the sun.

Whit Merrifield led off the first with a double and came home on Moustakas’ sacrifice fly. Merrifield stole three bases for the second time in his big league career, the first since last July 2.

Merrifield stole third against the shift and then Soler stole second before Moustakas’ third-inning double.

“We had one bad inning out there defensively where our third baseman (Niko Goodrum) walked off with another guy stealing third and the first baseman (John Hicks) forgot to hold the runner on,” Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said. “I’ll put it on myself. I should have just yelled `timeout.’ I should have stopped the game. Guys not familiar with their positions, and that’s disappointing that they ran all over us.”

Hicks homered in the fourth and hit a run-scoring single in the eighth off Brad Keller.

NEGRO LEAGUES SALUTE

The Royals wore the uniforms of the Kansas City Monarchs and the Tigers of the Detroit Stars as the clubs saluted the Negro Leagues. The Negro Leagues Museum is in Kansas City.

QUICK GAME

The game time was the shortest at Kaufman Stadium since Aug. 18, 2016 against Minnesota.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: 3B Jaimer Candelario did not play because of a jammed and swollen left thumb, injured in a swing. … Castellanos, who had three extra-base hits Saturday, did not start because of flu-like symptoms. … Iglesias is getting treatment for a tender ankle, but was in the lineup. “We’ve talked about trying to give him a break, but we didn’t have an option today,” Gardenhire said.

UP NEXT

Tigers: RHP Michael Fulmer (1-2, 2.80) is to start Monday at Texas, which goes with LHP Matt Moore (1-4, 7.67).

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (0-4, 5.64) is the scheduled starter Tuesday at Baltimore, and RHP Dylan Bundy (1-4, 3.76) starts for the Orioles. Kansas City is 0-14 in games started by Duffy and RHP Jason Hammel.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — It was hot on the field, and Jordan Zimmermann had been sick for two days. And still the Royals were no match for the Tigers right-hander.

Zimmermann allowed two hits over five scoreless innings, Nicholas Castellanos had three extra-base hits and Detroit beat Kansas City 3-2 on Saturday.

Zimmermann (2-0) improved to 4-0 with a 1.48 ERA in seven appearances, including six starts, against the Royals. This shut-down performance came while battling flu-like symptoms.

“Coming back from that took a lot out of me,” said Zimmermann, who noted the 83-degree first-pitch temperature was the highest of any of his starts this year. “I was happy to be able to go five and pitch pretty well and give the team a chance to win.”

Zimmermann did not give up a hit until Lucas Duda’s two-out double in the fourth. He exited after 85 pitches, waking three and striking out five while battling flu-like symptoms.

“I think more than anything else, your energy just gets zapped when you’re fighting those things all night long and not sleeping well,” Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said. “We knew it going in. His body was aching pretty good, but he wanted to go. He sucked it up there for almost 90 pitches. He gave us as many innings as he could give us. Pretty impressive.”

Castellanos had an RBI double as the Tigers scored three runs in the first inning off Jason Hammel (0-4).

Detroit held on from there, even after Kansas City cut the lead to one in the ninth. Lucas Duda led off with a double and scored when center fielder Leonys Martin dropped Alex Gordon’s line drive that struck him in the forehead. Shane Greene struck out Alcides Escobar and Jon Jay to strand Gordon and log his sixth save.

“You get in that situation where you’re just one hit from tying it up and really a double away from winning the ball game,” Yost said.

The Royals loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth, but Zimmermann struck out Mike Moustakas on four pitches to end the jam.

Zimmermann did not give up a hit until Duda’s two-out double in the fourth.

The Tigers jumped out to a 3-0 lead after six hitters. Castellanos, Victor Martinez and John Hicks had RBI doubles in the first.

The Royals got on the board in the sixth when Abraham Almonte snapped an 0-for-12 skid with a home run off left-hander Blaine Hardy, who was called up Friday.

Hammel settled down after the first and pitched 6 2/3 innings. He gave up 10 hits, walked one and struck out five.

“It is tough to come out and give up three in the first inning,” Hammel said. “I’ve got to do a better job setting the tone. Fighting from behind is not easy. The first inning, I was flat with the two-seam and a changeup to Castellanos I’d want back, just an 0-2 bad pitch. We got some length, but good enough length to lose.”

The Tigers loaded the bases in the seventh, but reliever Brian Flynn retired JaCoby Jones on a foul pop up to third baseman Moustakas to end the threat.

Martinez, Martin and James McCann each had a pair of hits for Detroit.

Jorge Soler went 0 for 4, snapping his career-high 19-game on-base streak and 10-game hitting streak.

DEBUT TIME

Royals RHP Jason Adam pitched a scoreless ninth in his major league debut, walking one, allowing Castellanos’ second double and striking out one. Adam is from Blue Valley Northwest High, a Kansas City suburb. “The first hitter I was definitely nervous,” Adam said. “I think we saw that with a walk. It was just a surreal moment. I had a lot of people tell me to take it in when you jog in and I did.” … Gardenhire said C Grayson Greiner will start Sunday for his big league debut. He was called up Friday from Triple-A Toledo, where he hit .259 in 17 games.

PERFECT ON CHALLENGES

Bill Duplissea, the Royals’ instant replay coordinator, is perfect in nine challenges this year. The Royals are the only team in the majors with a perfect challenge record this year.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: There is no timetable when 1B Miguel Cabrera (right hamstring strain) will return after being placed on the 10-day disabled list Friday. “I can’t tell you if 10 days is enough, only he will be able to do that as we go along,” Gardenhire said.

UP NEXT

Tigers: LHP Matthew Boyd will start the series finale. He is 2-5 with a 7.05 ERA in 10 career starts against Kansas City.

Royals: RHP Jakob Junis has a 5.19 ERA in three home starts this season.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jorge Soler thought his spectacular diving catch in the ninth inning that helped preserve the Kansas City Royals’ 4-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers trumped his go-ahead single the previous inning.

Maybe that was because the young outfielder’s defense has been so maligned early in his career.

Or maybe it was because he got to the foul ball before the ballboy.

You see, the Tigers had taken a 2-0 lead in the top half of the eighth when the ballboy down the first-base line mistakenly picked up a fair ball, resulting in a ground-rule double. Royals reliever Blaine Boyer (1-0) walked Victor Martinez before serving up JaCoby Jones’ hard-hit double to left field.

But the Royals’ answered when Francisco Liriano, who was stingy all night, walked Cheslor Cuthbert to start the eighth. Liriano was lifted for Daniel Stumpf (1-1), who gave up a pair of singles and was yanked for reliever Joe Jimenez, who promptly threw a wild pitch to score a run.

Whit Merrifield knotted the game moments later with a sacrifice fly, and Soler’s single through the left side of the infield brought home two runs — and gave that embarrassed ballboy a bit of relief.

“I didn’t think it was going to impact the game,” said Royals manager Ned Yost said of the boy’s flub, reasoning it would have been a double anyway. “At least he was awake.”

Royals closer Kelvin Herrera worked a perfect ninth for his sixth save, though the highlight was Soler tracking down that fly ball along the wall and making a dramatic diving grab.

“I was in a little bit and I saw the line drive toward the wall,” Soler said through a translator. “I actually worked on that particular play (before the game). The dive and catch.”

The collapse by the Detroit bullpen squandered a stellar outing by Liriano, who gave up a run on three hits and two walks. It also added to the misery that began before the game, when the Tigers had to put slugger Miguel Cabrera on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring.

“It’s disappointing. It’s bothersome because we had some good performances,” Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said. “It was a great pitching matchup. Both starting pitchers did their thing. You score like that and that shutdown inning has got to come next and we didn’t get it.”

The Royals’ Ian Kennedy was also sharp, facing the minimum through three innings before leaving runners stranded on the corners in the fourth. He allowed back-to-back singles leading off the fifth before striking out the side, then left two more runners at the corners to wrap up the sixth inning.

He left after throwing 103 pitches, allowing six hits and striking out seven with a single walk.

Liriano was even better at escaping jams, though. He got double plays to end the third, fourth and fifth innings, the last of them after a review that confirmed Lucas Duda out at first base, and then set the Royals down in order the next two innings before turning it over to his ragged bullpen.

“Get the first guy out and I didn’t do that,” Liriano said. “We lost the game.”

REPLAY RECORD

Royals replay official Bill Duplissea improved to 9 for 9 on the season when he correctly challenged a call in the seventh inning. The Tigers’ James McCann was called safe while stealing second base, but the Royals correctly argued that he had slid through the bag while the tag was applied.

CABRERA TO DL

Gardenhire hopes Cabrera, who was hitting .323 with three homers and 21 RBI in 26 games, returns quickly but conceded “only time will tell.” Detroit recalled C Grayson Greiner from Triple-A Toledo to fill his roster spot. John Hicks will get the majority of time at 1B while Cabrera is out.

OTHER MOVES

Detroit also selected the contract of LHP Blaine Hardy from Toledo after optioning LHP Chad Bell on Thursday night. … The Royals optioned RHP Scott Barlow to Triple-A Omaha and selected the contract of RHP Jason Adam from the Storm Chasers. Adam was a fifth-round pick of the Royals from nearby Blue Valley Northwest High School. He was traded to Minnesota in 2014 and also spent time with San Diego, undergoing four surgeries before returning to Kansas City this past offseason.

UP NEXT

Tigers RHP Jordan Zimmermann has not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his first five starts, two of them having come against Kansas City. He starts Saturday against Royals RHP Jason Hammel.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ned Yost was happy to see Jorge Soler’s pitch recognition sharpen, slugging first baseman Lucas Duda produce some timely hits and Alex Gordon’s long-awaited breakout continue for at least another day.

For once, the Royals manager had plenty of reasons to praise his offense.

Duda finished with three hits and drove in four, and Soler and Gordon went deep along with catcher Salvador Perez as Kansas City outscored the Detroit Tigers 10-6 on Thursday to open their four-game series.

Everyone in the starting lineup had at least one hit except for Cheslor Cuthbert, and he came within a couple feet of a home run in the seventh inning. Kansas City finished with 13 hits in all.

“Every point in the game there were big homers,” Yost said after a rare scoring outburst. “We knew it was only a matter of time before we got on track.”

Chad Bell (0-1) allowed five runs in 1 2/3 innings in relief of Mike Fiers to take the loss, though nobody on the mound was very effective. Bell was optioned out after the game.

“I put my team behind early and I just kept giving up runs throughout the game,” Fiers said. “There’s got to be a time where I start making better pitches when we need it.”

Eric Skoglund likewise struggled for Kansas City, but Kyle McCarthy (3-0) wiggled out of a key sixth-inning jam before pitching a clean seventh to earn the victory.

“Just wasn’t able to stay ahead and they had some quality at-bats,” Skoglund said. “I can’t be any prouder of these guys. They absolutely competed and put up runs for me.”

Nick Castellanos homered and had three hits for Detroit, while slugging designated hitter Miguel Cabrera left with a strained hamstring in the sixth inning. He briefly walked through the clubhouse after the game and said he was “fine,” adding that he planned to test it on Friday.

“We’ll have more details as we go along, see how it feels,” Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said. “Miggy was fine with his arm. He ripped the ball. He just started running to first after he hit the one and felt his hammy and strained it, just got him off the field.”

The Tigers and Royals spent most of the afternoon trading stiff jabs.

Kansas City scored two in the first on singles by Duda and Jon Jay, then Detroit scored two in the third on Jeimer Candelario’s double. The Royals answered with two in the bottom half on Perez’s shot to left field, and both teams scored a run in the fourth inning.

Detroit finally knocked Skoglund from the game in the fifth, when Castellanos went deep and Jose Iglesias drove in a run off reliever Scott Barlow to tie it 5-5.

Fiers was gone after five runs and six hits and a walk in four innings, while Skoglund left after allowing five runs and eight hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings.

Soler pushed the Royals back on top with his soaring homer to left later in the fifth, and they kept pulling away from there. Duda added a bases-loaded, two-out single in the sixth to continue giving Kansas City’s bullpen plenty of support on “School Day at the K.”

“You look up and see all the kids out here, you want to do whatever you can and win ballgames for them,” Yost said. “It got to the point where we could tack on.”

MIGGY LEAVES IN 6TH

Cabrera was trying to advance to second base in the sixth inning when he pulled up and grabbed his right hamstring. The two-time MVP had returned to the lineup Thursday after missing three games with biceps spasms. INF Niko Goodrum replaced him in the lineup. “A hamstring strain is nothing to sneeze about,” Gardenhire said, “so we’ll have to wait and see. We’ll make a decision and let you know.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: DH Victor Martinez got the day off to rest a swollen ankle. … LHP Daniel Norris (left groin injury) had a muscular decompression procedure Thursday. He’s expected to miss up to 12 weeks.

Royals: 3B Mike Moustakas was in the lineup for the second straight day. He was hit in the forearm by a pitch earlier this week in Boston and missed some time with a nasty bruise.

UP NEXT

RHP Ian Kennedy hopes to get some rare run support from the Royals when he takes the mound Friday night against Detroit. LHP Francisco Liriano will be on the hill for the Tigers.

— Associated Press —