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 Maybe the Royals had the ace on their staff the entire time.
Yordano "Ace" Ventura won his fourth consecutive decision, and
Cheslor Cuthbert hit his first big league home run and drove in four
runs as the Royals crushed the Detroit Tigers 12-1 Wednesday night.
Ventura (10-7) struck out 11, matching his career high set in his
previous start, and allowed one run and five hits over seven
innings. Ventura is 4-0 with a 1.13 ERA in his past five starts,
allowing four runs on 21 hits while striking out 44 in 32 innings.
"We feel like when he's on, he's our best guy," Royals first baseman
Eric Hosmer said. "He obviously proved himself last year. He's
worked out of whatever little funk or whatever he did in the
beginning of the year. It's the perfect time to see him looking like
his normal self."
Pitching coach Dave Eiland said, "Now he's got his swagger back."
The Royals backed Ventura with four home runs. Designated hitter
Kendrys Morales hit a three-run homer, hiking his RBI total to 94.
Center fielder Lorenzo Cain and second baseman Ben Zobrist each hit
solo home runs, and Cuthbert had a two-run shot.
Cain also doubled and drove in three runs before leaving after the
fourth with tightness in his left calf. Rookie outfielder Paulo
Orlando stroked two doubles and a triple.
Ventura's biggest concern was sitting through long innings as the
Royals scored in each of the first five innings and built a 12-0
lead.
"Definitely good to have," Ventura said of the offensive splurge.
"But when things take that long, it can be challenging. I was able
to overcome that."
The Tigers avoided a shutout when center fielder Anthony Gose led
off the sixth with a triple and scored on second baseman Ian
Kinsler's groundout.
The Tigers lost for the 10th time in 12 games. They are in last
place in the American League Central after winning the four previous
division titles. Kansas City leads the division by 12 games over the
second-place Minnesota Twins.
Randy Wolf, a 39-year-old left-hander who was making his third start
since the Tigers acquired him Aug. 20 from the Toronto Blue Jays,
lasted just 3 2/3 innings. He was roughed up for eight runs on eight
hits, including two home runs, three walks and a hit batter.
In the first inning, Zobrist deposited an 0-1 Wolf curveball into
the Royals' bullpen for his fifth home run in 31 games with Kansas
City.
The second inning began with Morales singling. Right fielder Jonny
Gomes, who was making his Royals debut, laced Wolf's first offering
over the head of Gose for a double, sending Morales to third. That
should not have been a surprise since Gomes is 13-for-24 (.542) in
his career against Wolf.
When Wolf hit catcher Salvador Perez with a pitch to load the bases
with no outs, plate umpire Quinn Wolcott issued a warning to both
benches. Ventura hit Kinsler with a pitch in the first inning.
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"I had my doubts about it," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said of the
pitch that struck Kinsler in the back.
Ventura was suspended earlier in the season after hitting batters.
"That certainly plays into my thinking, but I don't know for sure,"
Ausmus said.
Cuthbert's single to right scored Morales and Gomes, making it 3-0.
Cain belted his 13th home run in the third.
The Royals exploded for five runs in the fourth, which included a
two-run Cain double. After Wolf walked first baseman Eric Hosmer,
reliever Guido Knudson took over. Knudson promptly surrendered a
three-run homer to Morales on his second pitch, making it 9-0.
Cuthbert hit a two-run homer, his first in the majors, off Knudson
in a three-run fifth. Orlando tripled and scored on shortstop
Alcides Escobar's single for the other run, and Kansas City led
12-0.
"It was just really bad command today," Wolf said. "Against any
team, let alone a team that's hot and that's really good, you just
can't make those kind of mistakes. My job is go out there and locate
and mix speeds. I just wasn't able to do that. I had chances to put
guys away and wasn't able to do it. I was falling behind guys."
Cain left after the fourth with tightness in his left calf after
fouling a pitch off his leg before his double. A club official said
the move was precautionary, and the injury was not considered
serious.
Tigers designated hitter Miguel Cabrera was ejected in the fourth
inning after he was called out on strikes. After a few choices words
and antics with Wolcott, it was crew chief Gary Cederstrom, the
third base umpire, who thumbed Cabrera.
NOTES: Tigers LHP Al Alburquerque has not pitched since Aug. 24
because of right hip and upper leg soreness. He had a MRI on
Wednesday. ... Jonny Gomes started in right field for the Royals,
who acquired him in a Monday trade with the Braves. ... Royals
All-Star LF Alex Gordon was held out of the lineup. He missed 48
games with a groin injury before returning Tuesday and manager Ned
Yost wants to ease him back. ... The Tigers are 32-10 against AL
Central opponents. Only the Royals have a better record within the
division. ... Tigers rookie LHP Matt Boyd and Royals RHP Edinson
Volquez are the probable starters for the series finale Thursday.
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