Final/12
Bloomquist's HR gives Royals 4-3 win over Tigers
Aug 25, 2010 - 10:12 PMVideo
Willie Bloomquist's one-out home run in the 12th inning gave the Kansas City Royals a 4-3 win over the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday.
Yost inserted Bloomqust, a veteran utility man, into the third spot in the Royals order in an attempt to spark the team's offense, which had only managed seven runs in the previous three games.
Yost guaranteed reporters before the game that Bloomquist would get "a couple of hits".
The game-winning homer, which came on a 3-2 pitch from loser Alfredo Figaro (0-1), made Bloomquist 2-for-6. It was the first time Bloomquist has batted third on his nine-season career.
"Crazy," said Bloomquist as he nodded his head after the game. "Who knew?"
It was his third home run of the season and only the 13th of his career. But he knew it was gone when he hit it.
"I don't hit too many, but I thought I got all of it," Bloomquist said. "That's probably as far as I can hit a ball."
Bloomquist, who plays all three outfield and all four infield positions, was stationed at third on Wednesday and started a key double play on Gerald Laird's grounder with one out and runners on first and second in the 11th.
"I have a hard time thinking of two other players that are as good as Willie at that position, where you can play him anywhere and feel comfortable as if you had your starter out there," Yost said. "Third, short, second, left, right, center, first base. He knows how to play the game. He knows how to hit. He knows when to take advantage of situations. I just think he's a great player for what he does."
Kansas City, which also got a homer and two RBIs from Kila Ka'aihue, rallied from a 3-0 deficit to snap Detroit's five-game winning streak and avoided being swept in the three-game series.
Phillip Humber (1-0), who pitched three innings of scoreless relief, got the win for the Royals and Joakim Soria got his 36th save in 38 chances.
"The first couple of games here we got it handed to us," Humber said. "And we were down today. But we came back and won."
Alfredo Figaro (0-1) surrendered Bloomquist's home run and took the loss.
"It was a game that we had in hand, we just let it get away," Tigers' manager Jim Leyland said.
Ka'aihue's homer off Detroit starter Armando Galarraga leading off the seventh made it 3-1. It was the second straight game that Kai'aihue has homered.
Ryan Perry allowed Mike Aviles' leadoff single in the eighth before getting the next two batters. Tigers' closer Jose Valverde replaced Perry and, after Aviles stole second, gave up Ka'aihue's run-scoring double into the right-field corner. Brayan Pena followed with a double over Austin Jackson's head to tie the game at 3.
Valverde's streak of 24 consecutive save opportunities converted was snapped.
Detroit took a 3-0 lead in the second inning. Santiago's two-run triple with one out scored Brennan Boesch and Ryan Raburn. Boesch led off with a double and Raburn singled. Santiago scored when Gerald Laird followed with a RBI double.
Galarraga allowed a run on five hits in 6 1-3 innings, walking two and striking out four.
Royals' starter Sean O'Sullivan gave up three runs on seven hits in seven innings. He didn't walk a batter and struck out one.
Notes: Detroit's Jackson led off the game with an infield single. It was the sixth consecutive contest he reached base leading off a game. ... Ka'aihue made a nice backhand stab to his right at first on Ryan Raburn's low one-hop liner with two out in the bottom of the eighth with the score tied 3-3 and Miguel Cabrera on second base. ... Cabrera made a diving stab to his left at first on a liner by Jai Miller, who led off the top of the ninth.
- Tigers 3, Royals 4 - FINAL
KANSAS CITY ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
G Blanco cf 6 0 0 0 0 2 4 .244
M Aviles ss 6 1 1 0 0 1 0 .292
W Bloomquist 3b 6 1 2 1 0 1 1 .248
B Butler dh 5 0 1 0 0 1 2 .308
A Gordon pr-dh 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .215
K Ka'aihue 1b 4 2 2 2 2 0 1 .183
B Pena c
Aug 25 4:58 PM - AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY WILLIE BLOOMQUIST (3) TO LEFT WITH 1 OUT IN
THE 12TH OFF ALFREDO FIGARO.
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 4, DETROIT 3
DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: A GORDON (.215, 5 HR, 10 RBI)
Royals 4, Tigers 3 Top 12, 0 OutsAug 25 4:44 PM - #1 Cards Fan I just noticed that no one picked the Royals in this one...a rarity that the picks are unanimous!
Royals 3, Tigers 3 Bot 8, 0 OutsAug 25 3:44 PM - AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY BRAYAN PENA SCORED KILA KA'AIHUE
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, B PENA ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 3
DETROIT 3 TOP,8TH
DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: M MAIER (.253, 1-FOR-3)
Royals 3, Tigers 3 Top 8, 0 OutsAug 25 3:32 PM - AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY KILA KA'AIHUE SCORED MIKE AVILES
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, K KA'AIHUE ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 2
DETROIT 3 TOP,8TH
DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: B PENA (.156, 1-FOR-3)
Royals 2, Tigers 3 Top 8, 0 OutsAug 25 3:30 PM - AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY KILA KA'AIHUE (2) TO RIGHT CENTER WITH 0
OUT IN THE 7TH OFF ARMANDO GALARRAGA.
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 1, DETROIT 3
DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: B PENA (.143, 0-FOR-2)
Royals 1, Tigers 3 Top 7, 0 OutsAug 25 2:50 PM - AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY GERALD LAIRD SCORED RAMON SANTIAGO
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, G LAIRD ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 0
DETROIT 3 BOTTOM,2ND
DUE UP FOR DETROIT: A JACKSON (.309, 1-FOR-1)
Royals 0, Tigers 3 Bot 2, 0 OutsAug 25 1:51 PM - AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
TRIPLE BY RAMON SANTIAGO SCORED RYAN RABURN AND BRENNAN
BOESCH
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, R SANTIAGO ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 0
DETROIT 2 BOTTOM,2ND
DUE UP FOR DETROIT: G LAIRD (.198, 3 HR, 19 RBI)
Royals 0, Tigers 2 Bot 2, 0 OutsAug 25 1:51 PM
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