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Inge helps Tigers rally past Royals in opener

Sep 22, 2007 - 4:00 AM DETROIT (Ticker) -- The Detroit Tigers still have a fighting chance.

Brandon Inge drove in the go-ahead runs in the bottom of the sixth inning as the Tigers snapped a three-game slide with a 5-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals in Friday's weekend series opener.

With the win, Detroit (84-70) closed within 4 1/2 games of the surging New York Yankees (88-65) in the American League wild card chase.

"I'm not going to get silly after one game," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "Cleveland's going to win the division, we are still a real long shot for the wild card. But I'll tell you this club will play to the end and win as many games as we can, you can take that to the bank."

After watching rookie Jair Jurrjens get hammered for four runs through the first three innings, the Tigers' offense finally came alive to mount an impressive comeback.

Detroit picked up three runs in the fifth, when Sean Casey crushed a 3-2 pitch into the right field stands off starter Billy Buckner to cut the deficit to 4-3.

"Anytime you can put three on the board real quick, that's always a good thing," Casey said. "I was able to get a fastball and it felt like I was right on him (Buckner)."

An inning later, Magglio Ordonez hit a leadoff single and Ivan Rodriguez reached on second baseman Jason Smith's throwing error. Casey reached to load the bases after hitting a ball that rolled foul and crossed back fair, setting up Inge's two-run single to left against reliever John Bale for a 5-4 edge.

"I don't have too many infield hits," Casey said with a laugh. "I have to have a guy like dive, can't get up and just gets the throw off. I was just willing it fair as I passed by it."

"Inge did a great job," Leyland said. "A two-strike hit with two outs, that was a big one for us."

Bale was surprised that Casey's hit came back fair.

"I thought it was going to stay foul," he said. "I wasn't expecting it to come back but I guess I gotta do something to make sure it stays foul, I gotta pick it up in foul territory. I just thought it was way too far foul. Now that I go back and replay it in my head, I wish I would have grabbed it.

"I don't think I've ever seen a big league player let a ball go that went fair," Royals manager Buddy Bell said. "That was a bad play. That was elementary, you learn that in little league."

The hit made a loser of Royals reliever Leo Nunez (2-4).

Tigers reliever Tim Byrdak (2-0) struck out five batters through four scoreless innings for the win.

"You just try to pick him (Jurrjens) up, that's all you can do," Byrdak said. "He goes out there and comes out of a game early like that, you just want to keep it as close as you can. Try and make sure you don't add anything to it where we bury him and he gets the loss."

Detroit's Fernando Rodney pitched 1 2/3 innings and closer Todd Jones shut the door in the ninth for his 38th save.

Making his fourth career start, Buckner allowed three runs and seven hits through five-plus innings.

Billy Butler collected two RBI and and Smith hit a two-run home run for the Royals, who dropped five of their last six game away from home.