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Royals rally against Todd Jones in ninth, win in 10th

Apr 18, 2007 - 9:32 PM DETROIT (Ticker) -- John Buck made sure the Kansas City Royals finished their comeback.

Buck homered to open the 10th inning as the Royals stopped a six-game losing streak by rallying for a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

Stymied for the first eight innings, the Royals pushed across two runs in the ninth against Tigers closer Todd Jones to send the game into extra innings.

Buck gave the Royals an immediate lead in the 10th, sending a 2-0 fastball from Fernando Rodney (1-3) over the left field wall for his third homer of the season.

"I'm just trying not to do more than I'm capable of doing," Buck said. "Once he fell behind, I got more aggressive. You can't normally do that against him, because he's got that awesome palmball and his slider, but once I got ahead in the count, I knew he'd have to come after me. He threw me a two-seamer and I got good wood on it."

Thanks to Buck, rookie Joakim Soria (1-0) picked up his first career win. The hard-throwing rookie righthander struck out four in two overpowering innings.

Jones' first blown save in eight chances this season cost Jeremy Bonderman a chance at his first win in four starts.

Bonderman worked seven innings, allowing one run and three hits. The righthander struck out six without a walk.

"I really feel good out there," said Bonderman, who has pitched to a 2.25 ERA this season. "Something in spring training kind of clicked for me. I have a lot more confidence in the way I pitch. The pitches, when I want to execute them, I believe I can do it."

"I feel bad for Bondo because he pitched really great," Jones said. "I feel bad for Fernando, so I guess I ruined three guys' off days - mine, Fernando's and Bondo's. That's the way it goes. You've got to be able to stand it."

After hard-throwing Joel Zumaya needed seven pitches to retire the side in order in the ninth, Jones came on to protect a 3-1 lead in the ninth.

Jones walked David DeJesus to open the ninth, then gave up an RBI double to Mark Teahen one out later. Mike Sweeney lined a single to right field, putting runners on the corners with one out.

Jones nearly got a game-ending double play when Ross Gload hit a bouncer to shortstop. But Gload barely beat Carlos Guillen's throw to first, tying the game at 3-3.

"You just can't walked the first batter," Jones said. "It will always cost you. I just didn't execute my pitches today."

While Jones was unable to finish things, Bonderman and Gil Meche both started strong.

Meche surrendered just two hits, needing 59 pitches to get through the first five innings. But the Tigers broke through in the sixth, thanks to a throwing error on rookie third baseman Alex Gordon.

Brandon Inge drew a leadoff walk and Curtis Granderson singled. Placido Polanco then hit a bouncer to Gordon, whose throw sailed into right field and allowed Inge to score the game's first run.

Two outs later, Craig Monroe ripped a two-run single into left field to give the Tigers a 3-0 advantage.

Meche went eight innings, allowing three unearned run and six hits. He walked three and struck out six.

"I knew that going against Bonderman was going to be tough, and he pitched great, but we hung in there," Meche said.

Sweeney delivered a run-scoring single in the seventh, pulling the Royals within 3-1.