Jake Junis took a shutout into the eighth inning, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 1-0 on Tuesday for their first victory of the season.
On a chilly, rainy day — with snow a possibility on Wednesday — the Tigers and Royals breezed through nine innings in 2 hours, 17 minutes. Jorge Soler, who still doesn't have a major league hit since July 2, drove in the game's only run with a sacrifice fly in the second.
Junis (1-0) allowed three hits in seven-plus innings. The 25-year-old right-hander walked one and struck out six before being lifted following Mikie Mahtook's leadoff single in the eighth.
Justin Grimm finished that inning, and Kelvin Herrera struck out two in a perfect ninth for his first save.
Matthew Boyd (0-1) was sharp for the Tigers, allowing a run and four hits in six innings.
The only run came after Cheslor Cuthbert led off the second with a flare that dropped over first baseman Miguel Cabrera and bounced down the line. By the time Cabrera retrieved the ball, Cuthbert had a double. He went to third on a flyout and scored on Soler's flyball.
Soler went 0 for 2 and is hitless in his last 31 at-bats in the majors.
Cabrera struck out with two on in the third, and the Tigers missed a scoring chance in the fourth when James McCann hit what looked at first like a clean line drive up the middle. Second baseman Whit Merrifield was shifted over, however, and made the catch — then doubled Nicholas Castellanos off first.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Royals: 1B Lucas Duda sat out after leaving Monday's game with right hamstring tightness.
Tigers: Manager Ron Gardenhire said RHP Mike Fiers (lumbar strain) felt good after throwing a simulated game.
UP NEXT
Detroit's Daniel Norris faces Kansas City's Danny Duffy (0-1) on Wednesday, weather permitting.
