KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kyle Isbel hit a walk-off single in the ninth after his run-scoring hit fueled a two-run, eighth-inning rally and also made two excellent catches that likely saved a run, helping the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 4-3 Friday night for their sixth win in eight games.

Detroit, which lost its fourth straight, led 3-1 in the eighth inning before Michael Massey doubled leading off against Kyle Finnegan and Isbel and Maikel Garcia hit consecutive RBI singles. Isbel took third on his hit when the ball got by right fielder Wenceel Pérez for a two-base error.

Pinch-hitter Nick Loftin reached on a two-out double in the ninth against Brant Hurter (4-1). Isbel sliced an opposite-field single past the glove of diving third baseman Kevin McGonigle and into left for his first career walk-off hit and the Royals' third walk-off win thus season.

Isbel made a diving backhand catch in left-center to rob Pérez of an extra-base hit with a runner on in the eighth. Two pitches later, he made an inning-ending, over-the-head grab of Spencer Torkelson's drive just in front of the warning track.

Lucas Erceg (3-1) stranded two runners in the ninth when Colt Keith popped out. Detroit went 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

Kansas City improved to 6-1 in its City Connect uniforms.

Torkelson's run-scoring, double-play grounder put Detroit ahead in the second, but Isaac Collins had an RBI single in the bottom half.

Pérez hit a tiebreaking, two-out RBI double off Kris Bubic in the sixth when shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. took Isbel's throw from left and made a strong relay to Carter Jansen in plenty of time only for the ball to pop out of the catcher's glove. Torkelson doubled against Nick Mears for a 3-1 lead.

Bubic allowed three runs, four hits and four walks in 5 2/3 innings while Detroit starter Keider Montero gave up one run and three hits in six innings.

Detroit signed right-hander Carl Edwards Jr. to a minor league contract.

Up Next

Tigers RHP Burch Smith (0-1, 1.59 ERA) and Royals RHP Michael Wacha (3-2, 3.05 ERA) start Saturday.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Joey Cantillo and four relievers combined on a four-hitter, Chase DeLauter hit a go-ahead, two-run single and the Cleveland Guardians beat Kansas City 3-1 to stop their three-game skid and the Royals' five-game winning streak.

Kansas City starter Cole Ragans left after three scoreless innings because of left triceps and elbow soreness.

Cantillo (2-1) allowed one run, three hits and three walks in five innings. Matt Festa, Erik Sabrowski and Hunter Gaddis combined for three hitless innings and Cade Smith worked around Vinnie Pasquantino's one-out single for his ninth save in 11 chances.

The game ended after a 1-2 curveball to Isaac Collins on the inside corner that initially was ruled a ball by plate umpire Edwin Moscoso. Catcher Austin Hedges challenged and the ABS changed the decision to a called third strike. Six of eight challenges in the game were successful.

Salvador Perez put Kansas City ahead with a third-inning sacrifice fly that scored Bobby Witt Jr. but DeLauter hit a two-run single in the fifth off Luinder Avila (0-2). David Fry added a run-scoring groundout in the eighth.

Cleveland went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position.

Up Next

Guardians RHP Slade Cecconi (1-4, 6.56 ERA) and Royals RHP Seth Lugo (1-1, 2.68) start Thursday's finale of the four-game series.

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