KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Slugger Miguel Cabrera took another step towards the AL Triple Crown on Tuesday night, in the Detroit Tigers’ 4-2 loss to the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium.
Cabrera started the night off with a single in the first inning. In the third, Cabrera hit a two-run RBI single to give the Tigers (87-74, 37-43 away) a 2-1 lead. He was pulled shortly thereafter.
Entering the last day of the regular season, Cabrera is batting .331 with 44 home runs and 139 RBI’s. He is well on his way to becoming the AL’s first Triple Crown winner since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967.
Shortstop Alcides Escobar hit a solo HR to give the Royals (72-89, 37-43 home) a 1-0 lead in the first, his 5th HR of the season. Escobar tied the game at 2-2 with an RBI single in the fifth, before catcher Sal Perez hit the go-ahead RBI.
Jeff Francoeur hit his 16th HR of the season in the eighth inning, a solo blast to center that gave the Royals a 4-2 lead. Closer Greg Holland (2.96 ERA) recorded his 16th save.
Royals starter Jeremy Guthrie (5-3, 3.16 ERA) gave up two runs on five hits in six innings, striking out three and walking three. Tigers starter Doug Fister (10-10, 3.45 ERA) gave up three runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Luis Mendoza (8-9, 4.36 ERA) takes the hill against Tigers starter Luis Marte (0-0, 3.42 ERA) for the final game of the regular season on Wednesday night at Kauffman Stadium.
