• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Boesch's hit in 10th carries Tigers over Royals

Aug 6, 2011 - 5:01 AM Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Brennan Boesch singled home the winning run in the 10th inning to lift the Detroit Tigers to a 4-3 win over the Kansas City Royals in the opener of a three-game series.

Wilson Betemit worked a leadoff walk off Aaron Crow (3-3) to begin the 10th. A wild pitch allowed pinch-runner Andy Dirks to take second and Boesch punched a one-out single to center for the lead.

"Throughout the day my swing didn't feel like I was on-point as it normally does," said Boesch. "I just threw mechanics out the door and just tried to play pepper and get it in any way I could. I thought up the middle a base hit would be the best idea."

Jose Valverde pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the 10th for his 31st save of the season in as many opportunities.

Boesch made a winner of Daniel Schlereth (1-1), who pitched two scoreless innings as the first-place Tigers won for the fourth time in their past five games.

Johnny Giavotella went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in his MLB debut for the Royals, who came into the game having won three of four.

"We've been great all year of holdng the fort until we could score, but (it's) a pretty club over there and it didn't happen tonight," said Royals manager Ned Yost.

Neither starter factored into the decision as Rick Porcello went 6 1/3 innings for Detroit and gave up three runs on seven hits with four strikeouts while Felipe Paulino was touched for three runs on six hits with a pair of walks and seven strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings for the Royals.

Austin Jackson and Boesch led off the game with back-to-back triples and Magglio Ordonez followed with a sac fly for a quick 2-0 lead.

In the fifth inning, Alex Avila hit a one-out solo home run to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead.

The Royals, though, used a three-run seventh to tie the game. Billy Butler and Eric Hosmer started the inning with consecutive singles and Butler scored when Giavotella singled him home for the first RBI of his career.

Phil Coke then took over on the mound and gave up a single to Mike Moustakas that scored Hosmer. David Pauley then came out and a single from Alcides Escobar plated Giavotella.

Game Notes

The Tigers are 24-13 against the AL Central this season, including 7-3 against KC...Valverde's save streak is one shy of Guillermo Hernandez's team record of 32 set in 1984...Giavotella was recalled from Triple-A Omaha on Thursday night, and the team optioned infielder Yamaico Navarro to Omaha on Friday.