Mike Mahtook’s face says it all. After high-fiving his first base coach, he realizes Gordon robbed him. Jason Hammel celebrates in the Royals dugout

The Royals built an early 5-0 lead and used stellar defense to hold off the Tigers for a 7-6 win at Comerica Park.  Eric Hosmer, Salvador Perez and Alcides Escobar homered for Kansas City, which has won three of its last four games to get back to .500 at 68-and-68.  Alex Gordon robbed Mikie Mahtook of a three-run homer and Lorenzo Cain made a sliding catch in center to prevent two other potential runs.  Jake Junis got his seventh win and Scott Alexander his third save.

Nicholas Castellanos hit a three-run homer of Brandon Maurer in the ninth to pull Detroit to within a run.

Gordon’s catch was one of the better homer robberies you will see this season.

“When he hit it, I didn’t think I had a chance, but I knew I needed to get back to the fence as fast as I could,” Gordon said. “At that point, it was just a matter of timing my jump and reaching as far as I could.”

>>Vargas Starts Tonight At Detroit

Jason Vargas will start tonight for the Royals against the Tigers in Detroit in the middle game of a three-game series.  Vargas is 2-and-6 with a 6.80 ERA since the break.  He began the season 12-and-3 with a 2.62 ERA and was selected to his first All-Star game.  Vargas gave up six runs on seven hits in only two-and-two-thirds innings in a July 17 start against the Tigers.  Anibal Sanchez returns from the disabled list and will start for the Tigers.