Kansas City, MO (SportsNetwork.com) – David Price went the distance and
Detroit nipped Kansas City by a 2-1 count in the third edition of a four-
game set.
Price (3-1) was on the verge of recording his first shutout of the season, as
he set down the first two batters in the ninth, but Lorenzo Cain lined a ball
just over the wall in left and the hosts were behind by a run. However, Eric
Hosmer tried to tie the game with each swing in the next at-bat, eventually
striking out to end the contest.
“One of the elite pitchers of the game … He had the command of his fastball
tonight,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said.
The 29-year-old left-hander Price surrendered only four other hits and struck
out three while not issuing a walk and threw 106 pitches — 75 for strikes.
Ian Kinsler finished with two hits and drove in a run for the Tigers, who had
dropped the first two in the series by a combined 12-2 count. Anthony Gose
added three hits and scored once.
Edinson Volquez (2-3) gave up two runs on five hits over six full frames for
the Royals, who were held to their fewest runs since dropping a 3-0 decision
to the Twins on April 22.
“I think he was better than me and he pitched a really good game,” Volquez
said.
Detroit picked up the game’s first run in the third, when Rajai Davis walked,
moved to second after Gose singled and scored when Royals shortstop Christian
Colon threw wild to first on a potential double-play ball from Kinsler.
Price gained some insurance when Gose doubled with one down in the fifth and
came in as Kinsler followed with a base hit.
Price allowed a Colon single and his error allowed Alex Gordon to reach with
one down in the home sixth, but managed to escape the jam as Mike Moustakas
grounded into a 5-3 double play.
Gose was on with a one-out single in the seventh, but was erased on a fly to
center from Kinsler and a strong throw by Cain.
Game Notes
Price turned in his first complete game since last Aug. 21, a 1-0 loss at
Tampa Bay, and his first nine-inning complete game since last May 13, a 2-1
win over Seattle for Tampa Bay … Volquez had worked at least six innings in
four of his five starts this season … Salvador Perez collected two of Kansas
City’s five hits.