GAME THREAD: AL: DETROIT (71-60) at KANSAS CITY (57-72)

Bannister helps Royals beat Tigers in opener

<h3>KANSAS CITY 6, DETROIT 3</h3>By Marc Bowman
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- The Detroit Tigers' struggleagainst division opponents continued Tuesday as they dropped a6-3 contest to the Kansas City Royals.


The Tigers have lost 12 of their last 17 games against AmericanLeague Central rivals and are 8-12 in the division since theAll-Star break while losing four games in the standings.

Despite pounding out 16 hits, Detroit (71-61) left 11 runners onbase, including seven in scoring position as they fell 3 1/2games behind Cleveland (74-57) in the American League Central.

Kansas City starter Brian Bannister (11-7) pitched out of thestretch most of the night to earn his sixth win in eight starts.The righthander gave up two runs and a season-high 11 hits withfive strikeouts in six innings.


In the fourth inning, Alex Gordon broke a scoreless tie with atwo-out, bases-clearing double off Tigers starter Nate Robertson(7-11) for a 3-0 lead in the fourth.


After Mark Grudzielanek led off the frame with a single, RossGload singled and John Buck worked a 10-pitch walk to load thebases with two outs before Gordon laced a 2-1 pitch down theright field line to plate all three.


With an out in the fifth, Grudzielanek's single over a drawn-ininfield scored Esteban German before Billy Butler hit a two-run,line-drive homer on the next pitch to stretch the Royals leadto 6-1 and drive Robertson from the game.


In 4 1/3 innings, Robertson allowed six hits and six runs,walking four and striking out two for his fifth loss over hislast six decisions


Detroit's Placido Polanco had three hits and an RBI and MagglioOrdonez continued his red-hot August, collecting four singles toraise his average to .359.

 

Bannister helps Royals beat Tigers in opener

<h3>KANSAS CITY 6, DETROIT 3</h3>By Marc Bowman
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- The Detroit Tigers' strugglesagainst division opponents continued Tuesday as they dropped a6-3 contest to the Kansas City Royals.


The Tigers have lost 12 of their last 17 games against AmericanLeague Central rivals and are 8-12 in the division since theAll-Star break while losing four games in the standings.

Despite pounding out 16 hits, Detroit (71-61) tied a season highby leaving 13 runners on base - including eight in scoringposition - as they fell 3 1/2 games behind first-place Cleveland(74-57) in the AL Central.


"We got a lot of hits, and they got timely ones," Tigers managerJim Leyland said. "When we get 16 hits, normally a couple goover the fence. I think we were trying a little too hard toexpand the strike zone when we had the pitcher in trouble."

"We were living on the edge all night long," Royals managerBuddy Bell said. "But sometimes you have to give the pitcherscredit for making the pitches when they had to."


Kansas City starter Brian Bannister (11-7) pitched out of thestretch most of the night to earn his sixth win in eight starts.The righthander gave up two runs and a season-high 11 hits withfive strikeouts in six innings.


"All the things I normally get guys out with, they weren'tswinging at," Bannister said. "They wore me out. There was noroom to breathe out there. These guys are right up there withBoston, New York, Seattle. They are so well-balanced withlefthanded and righthanded hitters, it's hard to find a style ofpitching against them."


"We had Bannister on the ropes, but he made the pitches when hehad to," Leyland said. "Give him credit."


In the fourth inning, Alex Gordon broke a scoreless tie with atwo-out, three-run double off Tigers starter Nate Robertson(7-11).


"We couldn't come up with hits the first time through," Gordonsaid. "The second time through, we got some balls to hit."

"It was nice to get the three when we did," Bell said. "We gotthe big hits when we needed them."


After Mark Grudzielanek led off the frame with a base hit, RossGload singled and John Buck worked a 10-pitch walk to load thebases. Gordon then laced a 2-1 pitch down the right field lineto plate all three.


"Buck had a great at-bat," Robertson said. "He fought off a lotof pitches, then Gordon hit a slider down the line. You've gotto trust yourself to get your command back."


"He kept throwing borderline pitches, too close to take," Bucksaid. "He was sinking it, cutting it. He wasn't throwinganything straight. I was trying to foul off the borderlinepitches. The pitch I took (for ball four) was probably theclosest."


With one out in the fifth, Grudzielanek's single over a drawn-ininfield scored Esteban German. Billy Butler hit a two-run homerun on the next pitch to stretch the Royals lead to 6-1 anddrive Robertson from the game.


"I think you're going to see more of that," Bell said. "Billy<div class="pre">really gave us some separation with that."</div>

"You've got to do it against that team," Butler said. "They'reloaded one through nine. That could easily have gotten out ofhand with as many runners as they had."


In 4 1/3 innings, Robertson allowed six hits and six runs,walking four and striking out two for his fifth loss in his lastsix decisions.


Detroit's Placido Polanco had three hits and an RBI and MagglioOrdonez continued his red-hot August, collecting four singles toraise his average to .359.


"Right now is the point where we can't get any farther back,"Ordonez said. "But if we don't win some games, we're going toget farther and farther back. We've got to win now if we aregoing to get to the playoffs."


"Every day, we have to try to win more games," Polanco said."As the season goes on, time is getting shorter and shorter,especially if we are chasing."