Carlos Guillen capped a six-run seventh inning with a two-run double to lead Detroit to a 6-5 come-from-behind victory over Kansas City at Comerica Park Wednesday.
Joel Zumaya (2-0) picked up the win in relief and Jose Valverde worked a perfect ninth inning for his second save.
The Royals led 5-0 but watched their bullpen blow its fourth save of the season. Detroit used five hits, four of them doubles, and three walks to score all six runs in the seventh.
Three Royal relievers squandered a solid outing by starter Brian Bannister, who was charged with two runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings. He left with a 5-1 lead but Roman Colon, Dusty Hughes and Juan Cruz were all hit hard.
Hughes (0-1) was charged with loss.
Dontrelle Willis made his second start of the season for the Tigers allowing four runs on nine hits in five innings.
Jose Guillen continued his hot-hitting for the Royals. Guillen cracked his fourth home run in the past three games in the fifth inning to give Kansas City a 3-0 lead. Yuniesky Betancourt made it 5-0 with a two-run single in the fifth inning.
But Detroit got run-scoring doubles from Gerald Laird, Scott Sizemore, Austin Jackson and Guillen’s game-winning two-base hit with two outs and the bases loaded in the seventh. Miguel Cabrera also had a bases loaded walk in the inning.
The teams complete their three-game series Wednesday at 1 p.m.
Kansas City | Detroit | |
Brian Bannister | Player | Dontrelle Willis |
No Decision | W/L | No Decision |
6.1 | IP | 5.0 |
4 | Strikeouts | 3 |
4 | Hits | 9 |
2.84 | ERA | 7.20 |
Kansas City | Detroit | |
Jose Guillen | Player | Scott Sizemore |
2 | Hits | 2 |
1 | RBI | 1 |
1 | HR | 0 |
6 | TB | 3 |
.500 | Avg | .667 |
Team | Hits | HR | TB | Avg | LOB | K | RBI | BB | SB | Errors |
Kansas City | 13 | 2 | 20 | .317 | 25 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
Detroit | 9 | 0 | 13 | .281 | 18 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 1 |