DETROIT — Willi Castro and Javy Báez homered to lead Detroit over the Kansas City Royals 10-3 on Thursday for a three-game sweep that moved the Tigers out of last place in the AL Central.
Detroit (63-92) has won six straight, matching its season high and ensuring the Tigers will not lose 100 games. Detroit went 10-9 this year against the Royals (63-93), who dropped into the division cellar.
Kansas City stranded 11 runners, raising its two-day total to 24. and went 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position.
Eduardo Rodriguez (5-5) allowed five hits and four walks in 6 2/3 shutout innings.
Jonathan Heasley (4-9) gave up five runs — four earned — and six hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Before a crowd of just 13,137, Castro put the Tigers ahead with a solo homer in the second but left after straining his left hamstring while running out a fourth-inning double.
Detroit boosted the lead to 5-0 with a four-run fifth. Tucker Barnhart walked, advanced on a wild pitch and scored when first baseman Vinnie Pasquatino couldn't handle Akil Baddoo's hard grounder for an error. Riley Greene followed with an RBI double, and Báez homered over the Tigers bullpen in left.
Barnhart added an RBI single off Scott Barlow in the sixth, and the Tigers scored four more in the seventh. After Max Castillo allowed a single and two walks to starting the inning, Luke Weaver hit Victor Reyes with his first pitch, Jeimer Candelario followed with a sacrifice fly and Barnhart doubled for a 9-0 lead.
Kansas City's Ryan O'Hearn hit a two-run double in a three-run eighth.
STREAK ENDED
Harold Castro started the day with three straight games with at least three or more hits, -the longest streak by a Tiger since Magglio Ordonez in 2008. Castro went 0 for 4 with a walk.
UP NEXT
Royals: RHP Brady Singer (10-4, 2.99) is scheduled to start Friday's opener of a season-ending six-game series at Cleveland against RHP Zach Plesac (3-11, 4.39).
Tigers: LHP Scott Alexander (4-10, 4.68) starts Friday's opener of a three-game series against Minnesota ad RHP Joe Ryan (12-8, 3.70).
