KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Hunter Dozier homered to break a tie in the sixth, and lead the Kansas City Royals to a 3-1 win over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday.
After Carlos Santana walked with one out, Dozier lifted an 0-2 pitch from Will Vest (0-1) into the left field bleachers for his first home run of the year.
“Going up there I was actually looking fastball because he likes to run it in,” Dozier said. “When I got down 0-2, I was able to react to a slider and put a really good swing on it.”
Collin Snider (2-0), the first of four Royals relievers, picked up the victory getting five outs. Josh Staumont earned the club’s first save of the season as Kansas City snapped a five-game losing streak.
“(Staumont) looked like he had something to prove,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “He came in and looked different. He came in pounding the zone and it was a thing of beauty.”
“We needed this,” Dozier said. “Anytime you can get a win, but we needed to break that losing streak.”
Royals starter Kris Bubic departed after 4 1/3 innings, allowing one run on two hits and five walks; he struck out four.
“Probably not the greatest recipe for success,” Bubic said, “but found a way to get through it and the bullpen was huge picking us up there.”
Kansas City took an early 1-0 lead when Bobby Witt, Jr., and Andrew Benintendi singled with one out in the first. Salvador Perez brought in Witt with a ground out. It was the first run scored by the Royals in the first inning this year. They have surrendered 11 first-inning runs.
The Tigers responded the next inning when Dustin Garneau’s two-out double plated Daz Cameron, who had walked and stolen second.
Detroit starter Matt Manning left the game after two innings with right shoulder discomfort; he allowed a run on five hits with two strikeouts.
“We felt like (Manning) didn’t quite look right,” said Tigers manager A. J. Hinch. “He said he was fine to pitch through it but he was feeling a little something in his shoulder, so we weren’t going to take any risks.”
TRANSACTIONS
Tigers: Optioned RHP Elvin Rodriguez to Triple-A Toledo and selected RHP Wily Peralta from Toledo; RHP Bryan Garcia has been designated for assignment.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Tigers: SS Javier Baez was placed on the 10-day IL, retroactive to April 13, with a right thumb injury initially suffered during an Opening Day celebration. RF Robbie Grossman returned to the lineup after missing three days with a groin injury.
UP NEXT
The series concludes Sunday afternoon with Detroit LHP Tyler Alexander (0-0, 5.06 ERA) facing off against Kansas City RHP Carlos Hernandez (0-0, 8.31).
TRANSACTIONS
Tigers: Optioned RHP Elvin Rodriguez to Triple-A Toledo and selected RHP Wily Peralta from Toledo; RHP Bryan Garcia has been designated for assignment.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Tigers: SS Javier Baez was placed on the 10-day IL, retroactive to April 13, with a right thumb injury initially suffered during an Opening Day celebration. RF Robbie Grossman returned to the lineup after missing three days with a groin injury.
UP NEXT
The series concludes Sunday afternoon with Detroit LHP Tyler Alexander (0-0, 5.06 ERA) facing off against Kansas City RHP Carlos Hernandez (0-0, 8.31).
