Spencer Torkelson drove in three runs and the host Detroit Tigers opened a four-game series with a 6-1 win over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday night.
Riley Greene broke out of a slump with three hits and two RBIs, while Kerry Carpenter had three hits and scored twice. Reese Olson (2-1) lasted five innings to get the pitching win and Tommy Kahnle got the last six outs for his third save.
Maikel Garcia drove in the Kansas City run. Michael Lorenzen (1-3) allowed four runs in 4 2/3 innings.
The Royals left two runners stranded in the first. The Tigers followed suit, as Greene popped out with runners on first and second.
Dillon Dingler got all the way to third in the bottom of the second on a single, groundout and Lorenzen wild pitch. Lorenzen rebounded by retiring Ryan Kreidler on a flyout.
Detroit broke through in the next inning. Carpenter reached on a one-out infield single and Zach McKinstry walked. Torkelson smacked a double to left and Greene ended a 1-for-33 slump with a run-scoring single to center.
Kansas City loaded the bases in the fourth on a single, walk and hit by pitch. Olson then struck out Drew Waters before Kyle Isbel flied out to left.
The Tigers made it 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning. Carpenter led off with a double and McKinstry drew another walk. After Torkelson grounded into a fielder’s choice, Greene ripped his second run-scoring single of the game to right.
Both teams left two runners on base in the sixth.
The Royals got on the board against Beau Brieske in the eighth. Salvador Perez led off with a walk, moved to second on Michael Massey’s single and scored on Garcia’s hit to center. Kahnle replaced Brieske and induced a double play ball and another groundout to end the threat.
Detroit loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning on two singles and a walk. McKinstry drove in a run with a fielder’s choice and Torkelson tacked on a run-scoring single.
