Brennan Boesch had another game-winning hit, this time an RBI single in the top of the 10th inning to help the Tigers beat the Royals on Friday, 4-3.
Wilson Betemit led off the inning with a walk and was replaced by pinch-runner Andy Dirks, who then advanced to second on a wild pitch by Royals reliever Aaron Crow (3-3). Boesch then smacked a single into center field to drive home the winning run. Boesch hit a game-winning home run in the eighth inning against Texas on Tuesday.
Jose Valverde pitched a perfect ninth for his 31st save.
Austin Jackson and Boesch led off the game with back-to-back triples that resulted in a pair of early runs for Detroit. Alex Avila pushed the lead to 3-0 with a mammoth home run over the shrubs in center field in the fifth.
However, Tigers starter Rick Porcello didn’t get much help in the seventh inning from his defense. Betemit and Carlos Guillen let two catchable balls turn into singles and Porcello was lifted from the game in favor of Phil Coke after allowing an RBI single. Coke faced one batter and gave up an RBI single and was replaced by David Pauley, who allowed an RBI single of his own to Alcides Escobar to tie the game at 3.
Daniel Schlereth (1-1) picked up the win by pitching two scoreless innings.