Royals explode for season-high 15 runs in trouncing Tigers

Alex Gordon had three hits, including a homer, and drove in five runs as the visiting Kansas City Royals routed the Detroit Tigers 15-3 on Saturday. Whit Merrifield also homered as the Royals set season highs in runs and hits (19).

Rookie Kelvin Gutierrez had his first career four-hit game, Jorge Soler had three hits and two RBIs, and Adalberto Mondesi had two hits, three RBIs and three runs scored as the Royals evened the series. Kansas City starter Homer Bailey (3-3) allowed two runs on seven hits over six effective innings. He struck out four and walked two while bouncing back from consecutive losses.

Jeimer Candelario and Ronny Rodriguez homered for the Tigers. Tyson Ross (1-4), making his first start in 10 days after returning from paternity leave, didn't make it through the second inning. He allowed five runs on seven hits in 1 1/3 innings while absorbing his third straight loss.

Detroit pitchers issued 10 walks. The Royals jumped on Ross for four runs in the first.

With one out and one on, Gordon homered to left on an 0-1 fastball, his sixth of the season. Hunter Dozier singled and scored on a double by Soler. Ryan O'Hearn's run-scoring single made it 4-0. In the second, Merrifield led off with a walk and scored on Mondesi's triple. After Dozier walked with one out, Ross was lifted.

O'Hearn and Gutierrez hit back-to-back doubles to start the third, and Gutierrez eventually scored on a bases-loaded walk to Mondesi to make it 7-0. The Tigers' first runs came in the third when Harold Castro singled and Candelario followed with his first home run of the season.

Kansas City got the two runs back in the fifth on Merrifield's fifth home run and a sacrifice fly by Gordon, and piled on with six runs in the eighth against reliever Drew VerHagen. --Field Level Media

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