KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In a closely contested game on Sunday, Zach McKinstry’s key leadoff triple in the third inning set the stage for the Detroit Tigers’ narrow 1-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals, thanks to Kris Bubic’s wild pitch. Riley Greene was a standout performer for Detroit, securing two of the team’s five hits as they rebounded from a tough 1-0 loss on Saturday to take two out of three games against their AL Central opponents. This series win marks their 14th of the season.
The Tigers began June with an impressive record, leading the majors for the first time since 2006. Starting pitcher Keider Montero gave a solid performance, allowing seven hits over 4 2/3 innings. Reliever Chase Lee improved to 2-0 after securing four crucial outs, while Will Vest closed out the game, earning his ninth save of the season.
Kris Bubic, who dropped to 5-3, pitched well despite the loss, matching his career high with nine strikeouts over seven innings. He allowed just four hits and two walks. Among the highlights for Kansas City, Salvador Perez contributed three hits from the nine the Royals managed. Kansas City’s hitting struggles persisted, leaving eight runners stranded, and failing to score more than four runs in 50 of their 60 games thus far.
Royals infielder Maikel Garcia was a late scratch due to right thumb soreness, impacting their lineup. A notable moment came when McKinstry capitalized on a Bubic sweeper that deflected off Perez into foul territory, allowing him to score from third.
Historically, the matchups between these division rivals have been tight, with 10 of their last 12 games being decided by two runs or fewer.
Looking ahead, the Tigers will continue their road trip as RHP Jack Flaherty (3-6, 3.94 ERA) is set to start against the Chicago White Sox on Monday night. Meanwhile, the Royals will send RHP Michael Lorenzen (3-6, 4.33 ERA) to the mound on Tuesday to kick off their series with the St. Louis Cardinals.