Verlander, Tigers down Royals
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Justin Verlander escaped a bases loaded jam in the ninth inning for his first win and complete game of the season as Detroit edged Kansas City, 3-2, in the opener of a three-game set.
Verlander (1-1) gave up two runs on seven hits with two walks, a hit batter and nine strikeouts in the 15th complete game of his career.
Jhonny Peralta went 3-for-4 with a run scored while Brandon Inge hit a two- run home run and Austin Jackson added a solo shot for the Tigers, who have won their past two.
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Billy Butler and Humberto Quintero each drove in a run for the Royals, who have dropped their past five. Danny Duffy (1-1) was touched for three runs on seven hits with a walk and seven strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings to suffer the loss.
The ninth inning started with Detroit holding a 3-1 lead and Butler singling to start. After Jeff Francouer grounded out and pinch-runner Jason Bourgeois took second on the play, Mike Moustakas grounded out to move Bourgeois to third.
Quintero then punched a single to center to make it a one-run game. Mitch Maier followed with a walk and Alcides Escobar was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Verlander got Alex Gordon to look at a third strike to end the game.
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Jackson led off the first with a shot over the wall in left, but in the bottom half Butler scored Gordon, who led off the first with a double, on a single to tie the game.
Peralta belted a double to center in the fifth, and Inge later hit his first homer of the season for a 3-1 lead.
Kansas City had runners on second and third with one out in the fifth, but Verlander struck out Gordon and got Chris Getz to line out to kill the threat.
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Game Notes
Detroit took 11 of 18 from Kansas City last season...Duffy fell to 0-3 in four starts against the Tigers...Verlander is 14-2 in 20 career starts against the Royals and 5-0 in his last five...Verlander threw 131 pitches (85 strikes), which is one less than his career high.