KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Yordano Ventura was effectively and sometimes purposely wild.

Ventura battled through wildness as the Kansas City Royals topped the Detroit Tigers 5-2 Saturday night.

Ventura allowed six walks, matching his career high, and six hits, but held the Tigers to one run over six innings. He threw just 53 strikes in 105 pitches before turning a two-run lead over to Joakim Soria.

Some of those walks -- two to Victor Martinez, two to J.D. Martinez and one to Miguel Cabrera -- was Ventura not giving into the heart of the Tigers' order.

"I was trying to make the big guys don't beat me," Ventura said with Royals coaching coach Pedro Grifol acting as his interpreter. "I needed to be smart in those situations."

Ventura (10-9) has won his past four decisions, matching the second longest winning streak of his career. After the Royals had lost the three previous games by one run, this was almost a must win game for the defending World Series champions to remain in the playoff hunt.

"Every time I come to the ball park, I come prepared to win the ball game," Ventura said. "This one there was more at stake because we needed to break that streak and that's what I was able to do."

Tigers right-hander Michael Fulmer, who began his rookie season 9-1, has lost three straight decisions. Fulmer (10-6) permitted three runs on seven hits, including a two-run homer to Eric Hosmer, while walking one and striking out four.

Alcides Escobar extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a two-run single off Mark Lowe in the eighth to expand the Royals' lead.

Ian Kinsler belted his 25th home run to lead off the Tigers' ninth off rookie Brooks Pounders. Wade Davis was called to get the final two outs, notching his 22nd save.

Royals left fielder Alex Gordon suffered a right ankle sprain and was replaced by Billy Burns in the ninth.

Ventura held the Tigers scoreless the first three innings, although he labored with 53 pitches.

Ventura walked Victor Martinez and J.D. Martinez to lead off the second and unleashed a wild pitch. With one out and runners on second and third, Ventura struck out Tyler Collins and got James McCann on a flyout to right.

Ventura pitched around an Andrew Romine leadoff single and a two-out walk to Miguel Cabrera in the third.

The Tigers got a run in the fourth, which J.D. Martinez led off with a double to center. Ventura should have got out of the inning without a run. With McCann on first and Martinez on third, Collins hit what should have been an inning-ending double-play grounder to shortstop Escobar. However, second baseman Raul Mondesi's relay throw pulled first baseman Eric Hosmer off the bag, allowing Collins to reach and Martinez to score.

"Every loss is equally as frustrating," McCann said. "You want to win every game, regardless of time of year, but we definitely had the opportunities. We can't say we didn't have the opportunities. Unfortunately, we couldn't come up with the big hit."

Hosmer homered to right in the fourth with Cheslor Cuthbert, who led off with a double, aboard to put the Royals ahead 2-1. It was Hosmer's 20th home run of the season, which represents a career high.

"I was trying to get Cheslor over and set the table for Mo (Kendrys Morales)," Hosmer said. "I put a good swing on it, a fastball in and got my hands through it. It's a big swing for us especially the way Ace (Ventura) was pitching. It's probably one of the smartest outings I've seen him, just the way he was pitching around guys, not really into anybody, especially the big guys in their lineup."

The Tigers put two more runners on in the fifth but could not score as J.D. Martinez's grounder to Escobar ended the inning. Detroit went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position while stranding eight runners in the first five innings.

In the fifth, the Royals utilized their speed to score a run. With two outs, Mondesi and Jarrod Dyson put down back-to-back bunt singles off Fulmer. Cuthbert's ground-ball single to center scored Mondesi.

"The Kansas City Royals have a lot of speed up and down their lineup, and you've got a number of guys with the ability to bunt," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "Those two guys are probably the fastest in the lineup today. We're well aware of it. When you lay down good bunts and you run that fast it's hard to get them."

NOTES: Royals Gold Glove LF Alex Gordon left in the ninth with a sore right Achilles. ... 3B Erick Aybar was a late scratch from the Tigers' lineup because of a left abdominal soreness and replaced by Andrew Romine. ... The Tigers promoted LHP Joe Mantiply from Double-A Erie, where he held left-handed hitters to a .147 batting average, striking out 41 of 102 left-handed hitters. RHP Donn Roach was designated for assignment to make roster room for Mantiply. ... Royals OF Lorenzo Cain is still hampered by a tender left wrist and not in the lineup. He has not played since Tuesday. ... Tigers LHP Daniel Norris and Royals RHP Edinson Volquez are the Sunday probables.