Rajai Davis and J.D. Martinez homered for the Tigers. Chesterfield, Mo. native Max Scherzer allowed a run and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings and escaped a bases loaded jam in the fifth inning. Detroit beat the Royals 4-2 and now both teams are tied for first place.
The Royals had their chances, but things just didn’t go their way. Alex Gordon hit a deep fly to right that just went foul with two runners on in the fifth. Gordon walked, but Scherzer got the next two batters. The Royals only managed one run to cut the lead to 3-1, but Victor Martinez homered to push Detroit’s lead back to three after the inning.
Then in the ninth, the Royals put two on against closer Joe Nathan, but he struck out two and picked Jarrod Dyson off second base.
Jason Vargas allowed four runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out six and walked three.
