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 "You don't earn the nickname 'Big Game James' for nothing,"
Kansas City manager Ned Yost said Wednesday night after Shields shut
out the Detroit Tigers on two hits over seven innings to lead the
Royals to a 3-0 victory. "This was a very big game for us."
Shields (14-7) allowed a leadoff single to second baseman Ian
Kinsler, picked him off first and then retired the next 18 batters
he faced in helping Kansas City return to a one-game lead over
Detroit in the American League Central Division.
"We had the right man on the mound," Yost said. "He pitched a
phenomenal game for us. Again, you don't earn the nickname 'Big Game
James' for nothing.
"He doesn't let anything affect him. Anything that ticks him off,
I'm glad for. It just makes him pitch better. Our club feeds off his
emotion.
"If we're struggling offensively, he comes down in the dugout
screaming."
The right-handed Shields combined with right-handed relievers Kelvin
Herrera and Wade Davis to throw a two-hitter. Shields walked just
one and struck out eight. Each reliever retired three batters with
Davis earning his third save.
"Well let's be realistic, it's tough to get a sweep," Detroit
manager Brad Ausmus said, "and they're a pretty good team. James
Shields is a pretty good pitcher so, are we disappointed?
"You're disappointed every time you lose. We didn't give this game
away, they beat us. They pitched better and they hit better. That
happens, but the big picture is we take two out of three, we gain a
game since they arrived and we still got plenty of time."
Shields had been 0-2 in four starts against Detroit this year. In
his previous start, Shields pitched 8 1/3 innings of shutout ball
against the New York Yankees. His string of 18 batters retired
Wednesday ended with right fielder Torii Hunter's ground single to
left with one out in the seventh.
Shields then threw a wild pitch and walked designated hitter Miguel
Cabrera to get in trouble but got first baseman Victor Martinez to
fly out to deep center and struck out left fielder J.D. Martinez for
the third time.
"This was a big series," said Shields, whose Royals lost the first
two before capturing the third. The teams have their final meeting
of the season beginning Sept. 19 in Kansas City. "We didn't want to
get swept. This was a big game for us.
"This is the fun part about baseball. September ball. The only thing
I tell the guys is to relax, have fun."
The Royals took their first lead of the series in the top of the
fourth on one-out singles by designated hitter Josh Willingham,
first baseman Eric Hosmer and catcher Salvador Perez. Center fielder
Lorenzo Cain's two-out single to center gave Kansas City a 2-0 lead
as sheets of drizzle resembling a fog bank clouded Comerica Park. It
had all day since noon but finally stopped for good by the bottom of
the fifth.
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Kansas City tacked on a run in the ninth off right-hander Joakim
Soria, making his first appearance since being sidelined Aug. 10 by
a left oblique strain. Cain tripled leading off and scored on a
sacrifice fly by shortstop Escobar.
Cain took exception to Detroit right-handed reliever Al
Alburquerque's fist-pumping, yelling display of emotion following a
strikeout of third baseman Mike Moustakas in the eighth.
Alburquerque entered with the bases loaded and nobody out but got
Perez to line into a pitch-to-third double play and then fanned
Moustakas.
"I was on deck when he struck out Moustakas and did that
fist-pumping," Cain said. "I wanted to prove myself in my next
at-bat -- and I did. I tripled. I know it's an emotional game; I
understand the emotion side of it."
Right-hander Rick Porcello (15-11) absorbed his third straight loss,
allowing seven hits in 6 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts.
"As always, it's him getting the ball down," Ausmus said. "I thought
he threw some good sliders, probably the best the slider's been in a
while. But it's always his sinker, when his sinker's down he's
effective."
NOTES: CF Don Kelly was in the starting lineup for the third time in
four games and SS Andrew Romine was starting a fourth straight
Wednesday as Detroit manager Brad Ausmus goes for defense when he
can. ... Ausmus will push everybody in his rotation back a day
rather than skip a starter with Detroit not scheduled Thursday. ...
Kansas City skipper Ned Yost chose Josh Willingham over slumping
Billy Butler as his DH for the second night in a row. ... Kansas
City goes to Boston for a four-game series beginning Thursday while
Detroit is off prior to hosting Cleveland for three weekend games.
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