GAME THREAD: AL: DETROIT (71-62) at KANSAS CITY (59-72)

Bonderman, Ordonez lead Tigers past Royals

<h3>DETROIT 6, KANSAS CITY 1</h3>By Alan Eskew
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


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

Bonderman pitched seven superb innings to pick up his firstvictory in eight starts and Ordonez homered and drove in threeruns 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 toprevent the Tigers from being swept in the three-game series atKauffman Stadium.


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


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

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


"I think we have a heckuva chance to make the playoffs," Tigersmanager Jim Leyland said. "We got a shot. Why not? We're noteven 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 inSeptember, I would have stayed home with the kids."

Bonderman (11-7) limited the Royals to one run and six hitswhile striking out three. The five-year veteran allowed nowalks for the first time in 10 starts, throwing 63 of 87 pitchesfor strikes.


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


"Jeremy looked more relaxed and confident, that's a goodcombination," Leyland said. "His ball was moving. His fastballwas alive. That's not an easy lineup to face with sixlefthanded hitters."


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


"My wife told me I didn't look like the same guy she knew on themound," Bonderman added. "(Pitching coach) Chuck Hernandezsaid something similar to that. It's kind of embarrassing whenyour wife says something. She's known me for a long time. Whenshe can see it before you can, something is wrong. She'llprobably 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'mnot going to keep holding it in. I'm going to go out and pitchthe 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 runsand 31 RBI in 28 August games. He leads the league with a .359average.


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


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


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

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


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


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


Granderson leads the American League with 73 extra-base hits and21 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 tomake the score 3-1, Ordonez hit a blast high off the left fieldfoul pole to increase the Tigers' lead to 5-1.


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


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


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