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Thames supports Verlander as Tigers top Royals

Sep 23, 2007 - 9:42 PM DETROIT (Ticker) -- Justin Verlander kept the Detroit Tigers' fading playoff hopes on life support.

Verlander recorded his 18th win and Marcus Thames belted two homers as the Tigers posted a 7-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals in the finale of a three-game series at Comerica Park on Sunday afternoon.

Ryan Raburn also homered for the Detroit (85-71), which is 5 1/2 games back of the New York Yankees (90-65) in the American League wild card race. The Yankees clinched at least a tie for the wild card with a 7-5 win on Sunday over the Toronto Blue Jays.

"No one here has given up on this season," Thames said. "We're going to keep playing and giving it our maximum effort."

The Cleveland Indians already eliminated the Tigers in the race for first place in AL Central - clinching the division title with a 6-2 win over the Oakland Athletics earlier Sunday.

The reigning American League Rookie of the Year, Verlander (18-6) has been Detroit's most reliable pitcher this season. In this one, he allowed two runs and five hits while striking out six and walking two in six innings.

The hard-throwing righthander has won five of his last six starts.

"It's very important for me to finish strong," Verlander said. "It proves, too, that all the conditioning over the winter was worth it, and it builds on next year. The guys in the lineup to today (non-regulars) played with a lot of passion.

"They really stepped up. This is we've played all season long."

Bobby Seay and Joel Zumaya combined to hurl the final three frames to finish out the game.

Detroit used a four-run first inning to spark the victory, highlighted by Thames' two-run blast off Royals starter Jorge De La Rosa to make it 4-0. The left fielder also led off the third inning with his second homer of the game to make it 6-1.

"I just hit the ball hard," Thames said. "I wanted to do anything that I could to help the ball club."

Raburn provided the final margin with a solo shot leading off the eighth.

De La Rosa (8-12) was knocked around, yielding four runs and four hits in just one inning. He struck out one and walked one.

"Physically I felt really good," De La Rosa said. "I think I just threw the ball to hard. My control wasn't there. I just kept getting the ball up and in the middle, and I really paid for it."

Rookie Billy Butler homered for Kansas City.

"We got down early and we couldn't get it back," Butler said. "The pen kept us in, we had the opportunities but we just couldn't capitalize."