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Bonderman, Ordonez lead Tigers past Royals

Aug 31, 2007 - 12:28 AM By Alan Eskew PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- Jeremy Bonderman finally redeemed himself with the help of the hot bat of Magglio Ordonez.

Bonderman pitched seven superb innings to pick up his first victory in eight starts and Ordonez homered and drove in three runs as the Detroit Tigers defeated the Kansas City Royals, 6-1, on Thursday afternoon.

Curtis Granderson went 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBI to prevent the Tigers from being swept in the three-game series at Kauffman Stadium.

"It's about time we scored some runs," Ordonez said. "It's about time to put together hitting and pitching. That's nice to see."

The Royals won the first two games and were shooting for their first sweep of the Tigers since September 19-21, 2005.

Detroit, which started this contest 4 1/2 games out of first in the American League Central, next travel to Oakland to start a three-game series with the Athletics.

"I think we have a heckuva chance to make the playoffs," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "We got a shot. Why not? We're not even into September. There are a lot of games to be played, yet. I like our team. If we play good enough, we'll get in. If we don't, we won't. It is the kind of pressure I live for.

"If I didn't think we could be playing for something in September, I would have stayed home with the kids."

Bonderman (11-7) limited the Royals to one run and six hits while striking out three. The five-year veteran allowed no walks for the first time in 10 starts, throwing 63 of 87 pitches for strikes.

"I didn't try to baby my slider today, but just throw it like I did a fastball," Bonderman said. "I just changed the grip and threw it as hard as I could. I just wanted to go out and pitch with confidence."

"Jeremy looked more relaxed and confident, that's a good combination," Leyland said. "His ball was moving. His fastball was alive. That's not an easy lineup to face with six lefthanded hitters."

Bonderman, who reeled off eight straight victories from April 30 to June 20, hadn't won a game since July 13. In those eight starts, he was 0-6 with an 8.12 ERA, including a 10.32 ERA in the six defeats.

"My wife told me I didn't look like the same guy she knew on the mound," Bonderman added. "(Pitching coach) Chuck Hernandez said something similar to that. It's kind of embarrassing when your wife says something. She's known me for a long time. When she can see it before you can, something is wrong. She'll probably tell me after this one that is more like you.

"I'm not a guy who shows a lot of emotion when I pitch, but I'm not going to keep holding it in. I'm going to go out and pitch the way I used to pitch."

Ordonez went 3-for-4 to raise his August average to .402 (45-for-112). The six-time All-Star has 23 runs, 10 home runs and 31 RBI in 28 August games. He leads the league with a .359 average.

"I don't check the batting race," Ordonez said. "I'm really happy the way I've been playing all year round."

The right fielder came out after seven innings with a sore left heel, but should play on Friday.

The Tigers broke a 1-1 tie in a four-run fifth, which included home runs by Ordonez, his 26th, and Curtis Granderson, his 18th.

Royals righthander Leo Nunez, who was making his sixth career big league start, had struck out four consecutive batters before the Tigers put the game away in the fifth.

Granderson, who gave Detroit a 1-0 lead in the second on a sacrifice fly, started the four-run frame by belting a 3-1 fastball over the wall in right-center field to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead.

"I got in a hitters' count and got a pitch I could handle and didn't miss it this time," Granderson said.

Granderson leads the American League with 73 extra-base hits and 21 triples and ranks among the league leaders with 101 runs, 282 total bases, and 48 multi-hit games.

After Placido Polanco and Timo Perez hit back-to-back doubles to make the score 3-1, Ordonez hit a blast high off the left field foul pole to increase the Tigers' lead to 5-1.

A triple by rookie Billy Butler with one out in the fourth followed by a run-scoring single by Alex Gordon was the only run Bonderman allowed.

Ordonez's single in the seventh scored Granderson and finished Nunez (2-2). Nunez gave up six runs and a dozen hits in 6 1/3 innings, while striking out six and walking none.

"I think Nunez fell in love with the changeup in the fifth inning," Royals manager Buddy Bell said. "He gave us some good innings and we needed some innings considering what we've got to deal with tomorrow (a doubleheader Friday at Minnesota)."