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Cabrera's hit in ninth rallies Tigers past Royals

[September 03, 2016] KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Wade Davis entered to cheers, but Miguel Cabrera soon silenced the Kauffman Stadium crowd.

Davis blew a save in his return to the Kansas City Royals, while Cabrera homered and drove in four runs in the Detroit Tigers' 7-6 victory Friday night.

Paulo Orlando's two-run with two out in the eighth gave the Royals a 6-5 lead and Davis, who was just activated off the disabled list, was summoned to protect it.

Instead, he hit Ian Kinsler with his first pitch and Jose Iglesias doubled. Cabrera drove them both in with a single, his third hit.

Cabrera's four RBIs matched a season high and brought his season total to 85. He had only five RBIs in his previous 18 games.

"Good stuff," Royals manager Ned Yost said of Davis. "We talked with Wade before the game and asked how he was doing. He said, 'I feel good. I'm ready to go.' Location (was off) a little bit. He ended up hitting Kinsler with his first pitch and a cutter that caught too much of the plate on Iglesias and actually a pretty good pitch to Cabrera, but he got it through the sixth hole there. He really settled in and held the fort at that point."

Francisco Rodriguez (3-3) picked up the victory, although he allowed Orlando's single in the eighth for a blown save.

"On a mission," Rodriguez said of the ninth inning. "I'm not saying in the eighth I wasn't, but in the ninth, it was pretty much all the anger, trying to pitch and seal the deal."

It was only the Tigers' fifth victory in 14 games against the Royals this season.

Royals left-hander Danny Duffy, who had his 10-game winning streak snapped in his previous start at Boston, yielded four runs on six hits and two walks to the first 15 batters he faced.

"I've done pretty well getting the ball to the bullpen in the seventh or eighth this year," Duffy said. "The first inning was tough and the third inning was probably the hardest. This was a tough loss. We'll go back out there and try to continue to battle. There's nothing but fight in this team, so we're going to try to continue to do what we do."

Justin Upton homered in the second, taking a 1-0 Duffy offering out to left-center for his 19th home run and his sixth in the past 11 games.

The Tigers grouped five singles and a walk in a three-run third. Kinsler and Iglesias opened the inning with ground ball hits. Cabrera drilled a single to center, scoring Kinsler. Victor Martinez worked the count full before walking to load the bases, which brought pitching coach Dave Eiland out for a mound visit.

J.D. Martinez's bouncer to shortstop Alcides Escobar forced out Victor Martinez at second, but got Iglesias home. Upton's two-out single to center scored Cabrera.

The Royals scored three unearned runs in the bottom of the third to cut the Tigers' lead to one run.

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Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera (24) connects for a two run single in the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. The Tigers won 7-6. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Raul Mondesi reached on an error to start the frame. Anibal Sanchez fielded Mondesi's bunt, but first baseman Cabrera dropped the throw. After Eric Hosmer's single, Kendrys Morales' liner to center scored Mondesi. After Salvador Perez was hit by an Anibal Sanchez pitch to load the bases, Alex Gordon singled to right, scoring Hosmer and Morales.

The Royals bungled a chance to score in the fourth, which Jarrod Dyson led off with a single and stole second and third base, his American League 13th steal since the All-Star break. The Royals failed to bring him home as Cheslor Cuthbert flied out to shallow right and Hosmer bounced out to Cabrera.

Sanchez was removed after five innings, allowing three unearned runs.

"He wants to go deeper, we want him to go deeper," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "He started out pretty strong, I thought, the first couple of innings and then he gave up the three spot. You don't want to go to the bullpen in the sixth, but it's that time of year."

NOTES: Royals RHP Wade Davis (flexor strain) was reinstated from the disabled list. He pitched three scoreless innings on a rehab assignment. ... Erick Aybar started at third base for the Tigers, only his second career appearance at that position. The other was in 2007. ... The Royals recalled C Tony Cruz, OF Terrance Gore and INF-OF Whit Merrifield and purchased the contract of INF Hunter Dozier with rosters expanded. To make roster room for Dozier, a 2013 first-round pick, they transferred RHP Luke Hochevar to the 60-day disabled list after Aug. 5 thoracic outlet surgery. ... Tigers 3B Nick Castellanos took some swings with a fungo bat, but is probably a week away from playing. He is out with a fracture left little finger. ... OF Cameron Maybin remains out of the Detroit lineup because of a bruised left thumb. ... Tigers RHP Michael Fulmer and Royals RHP Yordano Ventura are the Saturday probables.

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