Tarik Skubal won his fifth straight decision and Riley Greene homered as the Detroit Tigers beat the host Kansas City Royals 4-2 on Wednesday evening, completing a three-game sweep.
In the wild-card chase, Detroit (80-73) closed the gap to two games behind Kansas City (82-71) and a half game behind the Minnesota Twins (80-72) for the third and final wild-card spot. Minnesota lost to the Cleveland Guardians in 10 innings.
After allowing three hits and a run in the first inning, Skubal held the Royals hitless over his final four innings, permitting just one runner past first base.
Skubal (17-4) completed five innings with one walk and seven strikeouts. His 221 strikeouts lead the majors, and he leads the American League in wins and ERA, at 2.48.
Yuli Gurriel’s sharp two-out single put the Royals ahead 1-0 in the first.
Kansas City gifted the tying run in the second with a walk to Zach McKinstry, who advanced on a wild pitch and scored on Jake Rogers’ infield hit plus pitcher Alec Marsh’s throwing error.
Greene blasted a 427-foot homer over the right field bullpen to open a three-run third inning. His 24 home runs lead the Tigers, and he has four homers and 11 RBIs in his last 10 games.
Trey Sweeney added a two-run double for a 4-1 lead to chase Marsh (8-9), who allowed four runs — three earned — on five hits and three walks with five strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings.
Kansas City cut Detroit’s lead to 4-2 in the eighth as Salvador Perez followed Bobby Witt Jr.’s bloop double with an RBI single. It was Witt’s 87th extra-base hit of the season, most ever by a Royals hitter.
Will Vest retired the last two hitters for his second save as Detroit’s bullpen tossed 13-of-14 scoreless innings during the Tigers’ first sweep in Kansas City since June 14-16, 2021.
Detroit has won nine of its last 11 and is a major league-best 25-10 since Aug. 11.
The Royals lost their fourth straight, suffering their first home sweep of the year.
–Field Level Media