Tigers lose late lead, settle for series split with Royals

Chris McCosky, The Detroit News on Jul 26, 2026

Published in Baseball

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DETROIT — The Detroit Tigers, for the second straight day, lost a lead and a game in the late innings.

Michael Massey hit a two-out, two-strike, one-handed, two-run homer off lefty Drew Sommers in the top of the eighth inning and the depleted Kansas City Royals earned a split of the four-game series at Comerica Park with a 5-4 win Sunday.

All four games in this series were decided by one run, despite the Royals playing without All-Star Bobby Witt, Jr., Maikel Garcia and Kyle Isbel. In fact, the last 12 games played between these teams at Comerica Park have been decided by two runs or less.

This one looked like it was set up for the Tigers.

Leading 4-3, manager AJ Hinch had his aligned to some favorable matchups. Right-hander Ty Madden replaced starter Framber Valdez and got five outs. More importantly, his presence led Royals’ manager Matt Quatraro to use his two best left-handed pinch hitters, Carter Jensen and Massey.

When those two came around to bat again in the eighth, they had to deal with Sommers, whose funky delivery is a tough at-bat for lefties.

Sommers struck out Jensen for the second out and got two strikes on Massey. But Massey, even though he was out front of a slider, was able to wand it into the seats in right field.

The Tigers had a rally doused in the bottom eighth when, with one out, left fielder Isaac Collins threw out Zach McKinstry trying to go first to third on a single to by Spencer Torkelson.

The Tigers challenged but the call was confirmed.

A gut punch for the Tigers, especially after they exploited a four-run gift from the Royals' fifth inning to get in position to win.

Down 3-0 and being held at bay by right-hander Luinder Avila, red-hot Hao-Yu Lee kickstarted things with a leadoff double, a ball scorched to the wall in center.

A walk to Colt Keith and a single by Kevin McGonigle loaded the bases. Avila struck out Gleyber Torres and Quatraro summoned lefty Matt Strahn with lefty Riley Greene coming up.

Good strategy, poor execution.

Greene fell behind 1-2 but fouled off three pitches and worked the count full. Strahm jammed him with a sinker in on the hands. The ball squibbed off Greene’s bat at 57 mph toward second base and somehow squirted past both second baseman Andrew Velazquez and shortstop Tyler Tolbert, who was passing behind the play.

Two runs scored on the error and Velazquez compounded his miscue by laying on the ground while Greene hustled to second.

Dillon Dingler followed with a two-run single to center.

It was another messy start for Valdez.

He had a difficult time getting ahead of hitters in the first inning, especially, and he paid a price for it.

The Royals scored two runs in a 31-pitch first that included a home run, single, hit batter, walk and an error.

Lane Thomas opened the game with a line drive, opposite-field home run to right after Valdez fell behind 2-0. The second run scored on the error by Hao-Yu Lee.

Valdez seemed to find his rhythm, breezing through the second and third innings on 20 pitches combined.

But with one out in the fourth he walked Tolbert and then fell behind light-hitting catcher Luke Maile. Maile hit an RBI double inside the bag at third to give the Royals a 3-0 lead.

Valdez ended up going five innings and throwing 97 pitches.

Right-fielder Kerry Carpenter was removed from the game after he flew out in the fourth inning.

He’s been trying to play through a right heel contusion. He grimaced as he took his first step toward first base and looked uncomfortable as he jogged off the field.

Rookie Ben Malgeri replaced him in right field in the top of the fifth inning and made an immediate impact — stealing a single from Salvador Perez with a diving catch.

Carpenter had hit safely in his three previous games — three singles — after enduring a 2 for 37 skid with 12 strikeouts.

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