Michael Massey and Salvador Perez hit home runs as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Detroit Tigers 8-3 on Monday night, marking their fourth consecutive win.
Massey started the scoring in the second inning with a leadoff homer, the first home runs Tigers starter Reese Olson had given up this season after pitching 48 1/3 innings, which was the longest streak without allowing a homer in the majors.
“The home run was 95 mph, down and in,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “He wouldn’t have been looking there on a 3-2 pitch, but he was able to get the barrel to it. He’s just in a good spot and seeing the ball well.”
In his next at-bat, Massey hit a liner off Olson’s right hip while Vinnie Pasquantino scored on a throwing error, giving the Royals a 2-0 lead.
After a few warmup pitches, Olson (0-5) left the game with a right hip contusion. He pitched 2 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and five hits, with one walk and two strikeouts.
“He could have continued,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “He was trying, but he was really tentative. Given that it was his drive leg, we were not going to take any chances. We took him out for precaution.”
Perez led off the sixth inning with his ninth home run after a 10-pitch at-bat as the Royals greeted reliever Joey Wentz with five consecutive hits.
“I was late on 3-1, after that, I just tried to make adjustments,” Perez said. “I got a pitch around the middle and I hit it pretty good.”
Seven straight batters reached safely, and Kansas City scored six runs to build an 8-1 lead. “It stems from being prepared,” said Massey, who doubled after Perez’s homer for his third hit. “You get a bunch of guys in a row that execute, and you get those big innings.”
Michael Wacha (4-4) allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings, walking one and striking out three to win his third straight start. “He was in the zone, so they were aggressive,” Quatraro said. “It looked like he located his fastball really well.”
