Royals 0 - 2 Tigers
Final
  for this game

Tigers down Royals to tie for AL Central lead

Sep 26, 2012 - 3:43 AM

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Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Anibal Sanchez tossed a three-hit shutout and the Detroit Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals, 2-0, in the second test of a four-game series.

The Tigers moved into a tie with the White Sox for first place in the AL Central. Chicago lost to the Indians on Tuesday.

Sanchez (4-6) struck out 10 and walked one while earning his first shutout since Sept. 10, 2011 at Pittsburgh when he was a member of the Marlins.

"We need to take care of our game. We don't have to pay attention to what the White Sox are going to do, or whether the White Sox win or lose," Sanchez said. "We need to keep focusing on our game. That's more important."

Prince Fielder and Delmon Young each hit RBI singles in the first inning for Detroit, which has won the first two games of this series.

Bruce Chen (11-13) allowed two runs on 10 hits over 6 2/3 innings for the Royals, who have dropped three straight. The left-hander struck out five and walked three.

"They came ready to play. I left a couple pitches up and they got some base hits," Chen said. "But we played hard and we never gave in."

The Tigers scored all the runs they would need in the first inning. Austin Jackson and Omar Infante hit consecutive singles to put men on first and second. After Miguel Cabrera flied out, Fielder and Young hit back-to-back RBI singles to make it 2-0.

Kansas City stranded runners on first and second in the fourth and sixth. Alex Gordon and Billy Butler hit consecutive two-out singles in the fourth, before Salvador Perez lined out.

In the sixth, Alcides Escobar reached base on a bunt single and Gordon walked. Butler stepped to the plate with two outs and struck out swinging.

Sanchez retired the final 10 batters he faced.

Game Notes

The Tigers lead the season series by a 9-4 margin ... Sanchez has seven complete games and five shutouts in his career ... Chen fell to 5-6 in 17 career meetings with the Tigers ... Detroit acquired pitcher Greg Ross from the Atlanta Braves to complete their Aug. 31 trade ... Cabrera went 0-for-3 and had a 14-game hitting streak snapped.






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