DETROIT — Wenceel Pérez delivered a dramatic go-ahead home run in the eighth inning, sending the Detroit Tigers to a 2-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night and extending their winning streak to five games.
Pérez, who entered the game as a defensive replacement after Zach McKinstry exited following a collision with Jac Caglianone at third base, made an immediate impact. Leading off the bottom of the eighth, Pérez launched a 1-1 changeup from Eli Morgan over the right-field wall for his first home run of the season.
Reliever Kyle Finnegan (1-0) earned the win with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless work, while veteran closer Kenley Jansen secured his fourth save of the year with a clean ninth inning.
Both starting pitchers turned in strong performances but did not factor into the decision. Detroit’s Jack Flaherty allowed one run on two hits over six innings, striking out seven and walking three. Kansas City’s Seth Lugo was equally sharp, giving up one run on five hits across 6 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts and no walks.
The game featured a pair of unusual defensive plays in the third inning, as both teams had runners thrown out at the plate. Caglianone tripled to open the inning for Kansas City but was cut down trying to score on a ground ball, thanks to a throw from Gleyber Torres.
In the bottom half, McKinstry was thrown out attempting to score on a double by Javier Báez. However, Báez advanced to third and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Jake Rogers. After a replay review overturned the initial call, it was determined Báez touched the plate ahead of a tag attempt by Salvador Perez.
Kansas City answered in the fourth inning when Kyle Isbel drove in a run with an RBI single to tie the game at 1-1.
The Royals threatened late, as Vinnie Pasquantino tripled with two outs in the eighth, but Finnegan escaped the jam by inducing a flyout from Perez. In the ninth, Kansas City again put a runner on third, but Lane Thomas flew out to end the game.
The Royals and Tigers will wrap up their three-game series Thursday afternoon in Detroit. Kansas City is scheduled to send Kris Bubic (2-1, 2.50 ERA) to the mound against Detroit’s Keider Montero (1-1, 1.74 ERA). First pitch is set for 12:10 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at 11:30 a.m. on Superstar Country 102.5 FM and 1530 AM KQNK.
