KANSAS CITY, Missouri – Joey Wentz did not record an out.
Wentz, a left-handed reliever, came on in the sixth inning and allowed five of six runs to the Kansas City Royals as the Detroit Tigers lost, 8-3, in the opener of a three-game series Monday at Kauffman Stadium.
“I didn’t pitch very well tonight,” said Wentz, who entered Monday’s game with a 1.08 ERA in 16⅔ innings, “which is unfortunate because it would have been a night where pitching well would have helped our team a lot.” “I didn’t get ahead of anyone, and they were definitely on me.”
The Royals struck first with Wentz’s fastball.
“I mean, they were all over it,” manager AJ Hinch said. “He lost the 10-pitch at-bat to Salvy, which was a good battle. Salvy hit the home run, and after that, they didn’t miss a thing.”
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The Tigers fell to 23-24, falling below a .500 record for the second time this season, while the Royals improved to 30-19. It’s only the end of May, but the Tigers are falling in the American League Central and are now seven games behind the first-place Cleveland Guardians at 31-17.
Right-handed reliever Will Vest replaced Wentz and allowed the sixth run in the sixth inning, but recorded all three outs and stranded a runner on third base with a strikeout.
The damage in the sixth began with Salvador Perez swatting Wentz’s 10th-pitch fastball at the bottom of the strike zone, increasing the Royals’ lead to 3-1.
Wentz fell behind 3-0 in the count against Perez, then struggled to get a full count, but Perez returned the favor by throwing four straight pitches to extend the at-bat long enough to find a pitch to hit in his hot zone. . .
“It’s a tough outing, always has been,” catcher Jake Rogers said. “He’s been around forever. That’s what he’s known for. He fought some big cutters, fought a heater and then got the heater he needed to hit and did what he was supposed to do.”
Pérez hit the ball 436 feet to left center field with an exit velocity of 109.1 mph.
The next four batters also had hits off Wentz: Michael Massey (double), Freddy Fermín (RBI single), MJ Melendez (single) and Hunter Renfroe (two-run double). The first three hits (Pérez, Massey, Fermín) were with fastballs.
Wentz left a runner on third base and there were no outs for Vest.
Maikel García increased the Royals’ lead to 7-1 with a single and Vinnie Pasquantino extended it to 8-1. Vest escaped further damage by striking out Perez to end the sixth inning.
“It’s probably going to be a different outcome if I go in and do my job, which I didn’t do,” Wentz said. “I don’t think you’re going to let that discourage you. I think you’re going to come back tomorrow and try to get better and keep going.”
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The Royals scored their first two runs off right-hander Reese Olson, who left in the third inning with a right hip contusion after throwing 52 pitches. A comeback by Massey, which led to the Royals’ second run once Rogers threw the ball, drilled Olson in the hip and forced him out, but is expected to make his next start.
Massey also hit Olson’s fastball for a solo home run in the second inning for a 1-0 lead. The long ball broke Olson’s streak of 54 innings without allowing a home run.
Colt Keith’s three hits are not enough
The bullpen exploded, but rookie second baseman Colt Keith continued to build on his recent success at the plate. He had four hits in Friday’s series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and in Monday’s opener against the Royals, the 22-year-old had three hits in four plate appearances.
He had two singles and a double.
“I’m starting to hit balls hard in the air,” Keith said. “As soon as I get to that point, I can start getting loose on the fastballs, getting there on time every time and doing some damage.”
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In the seventh inning, Keith took a fastball from right-hander Michael Wacha into the ground and into right field for an RBI double, cutting the Tigers’ deficit to 8-2.
Keith hit a fastball to right field for a leadoff single in the third inning and a changeup to right field for a leadoff single in the fifth inning. He hit those balls with an exit velocity of 109.4 mph and an exit velocity of 108.4 mph, respectively.
Over his last 10 games, Keith is hitting .406 (13-for-32) with one walk and four strikeouts in 32 plate appearances. However, seven of those 13 hits occurred in two of the 10 games.
“Keep showing up on time,” Keith said. “Just continue with the process that my hitting coaches and I put together with my swing, my swing, my toe-striking and my timing. We’ll go from there.”
The Tigers scored their first run in the fourth inning on Kerry Carpenter’s 430-foot solo home run to left center field on a Wacha fastball. Carpenter also drove in the Tigers’ third and final run, making the score 8-3, with a long sacrifice fly in the eighth inning.
“He just missed another one with the bases loaded, which would have changed the whole aspect of the game,” Hinch said. “We’ll hit the sacrifice fly. It was a quality at-bat, but it looks like he’s driving the ball. He’s getting a lot of pitches and he’s not missing them.”
Spencer Torkelson grounded out to strand the bases loaded in the eighth inning. He worked a full count against right-handed reliever Chris Stratton, but bounced on a sixth-pitch changeup to second base for an easy out.
Javier Báez returns to old habits
Veteran shortstop Javier Báez, batting .204 this season, appeared to be at his best as he swept throughout the weekend series against the Diamondbacks, hitting .615 (8-for-13) with four doubles and seven runs batted in.
He was not the same player in the first game of the series in Kansas City, going 0 for 4 with four ground balls.
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Báez grounded into a double play in the third and fifth innings, immediately after Keith’s singles. He also grounded out to end the seventh inning after Keith’s double. He added another groundout in the ninth inning.
Wacha, who started for the Royals, allowed two runs, six hits and a walk with three strikeouts, throwing 89 pitches. He relied heavily on his changeup and his fastball.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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Next: Royals
Match: Tigers (23-24) at Kansas City (30-19).
First launch: 7:40 p.m. Tuesday; Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri.
Television/radio: Bally Detroit Sports; WXYT-FM (97.1).
Probable pitchers: Tigers – RHP Casey Mize (1-2, 3.50 ERA); royalty – RHP Alec Marsh (3-1, 2.43).
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