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Bannister carries Royals past Tigers
2007-08-29
Needing a win to keep pace in the AL Central, the Detroit Tigers ran into a familiar nemesis: the Kansas City Royals. Brian Bannister won for the sixth time in seven decisions, Alex Gordon hit a three-run double and the Royals beat the Tigers 6-3 Tuesday night. Detroit dropped 3 1/2 games behind division-leading Cleveland, the Tigers' biggest deficit in their division since before play on June 6. The lowly Royals are 5-8 against Detroit this season after taking three in a row from the Tigers on the final weekend of last season -- costing Detroit first place and forcing the Tigers into the wild-card berth. Most of Detroit's difficulties against Kansas City have been at Comerica Park: The Tigers had been 14-1 at Kauffman Stadium since the start of the 2006 season but have lost seven of their last 10 against Kansas City at home. Nate Robertson (7-11) gave up six runs, six hits and four walks in 4 1-3 innings, his shortest outing since June 5. Robertson is 1-5 in his past eight starts. Magglio Ordonez went 4-for-5 and is hitting .404 in August. Detroit stranded 13 runners, including 10 when Bannister was pitching. Bannister (11-7) leads AL rookies with a 3.27 ERA and his victories are the most by a Royals rookie starter since Kevin Appier won 12 games in 1990. Bannister gave up two runs and 11 hits in six innings, striking out five and walking one. He is 6-1 with a 2.31 ERA in his past eight starts. After a 10-pitch walk by John Buck loaded the bases with two outs in the fourth, Gordon put the Royals ahead 3-0 with his double. Curtis Granderson hit an RBI double in the fifth, when the Ivan Rodriguez hit into an inning-ending forceout with the bases loaded. Billy Butler hit a two-run homer in the bottom half following Mark Grudzielanek's RBI single for a 6-1 lead. Placido Polanco, who had three hits, singled home Sean Casey in the sixth. Carlos Guillen had a sacrifice fly in the ninth. Notes:@ Esteban German started in left field for the fourth time this season for the Royals. He has also started at third base, second base, shortstop and DH. ... Tigers 3B Brandon Inge struck out twice, raising his AL-leading total to 132.
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