KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)– Chris Young pitched five no-hit innings and the Detroit Tigers didn’t break through until the eighth in a 4-1 loss Friday night to the Kansas City Royals
Young, making his first start of the year after five relief appearances, struck out nine and walked three before exiting with his pitch count reaching 81.
Young (2-0) walked the bases full with one out in the fourth, but recovered to strike out J.D. Martinez and Yoenis Cespedes on seven pitches to end the inning.
Ryan Madson pitched two perfect innings after Young was pulled. Kendrys Morales drove in three of the Royals’ runs.
Nick Castellanos laced a clean single to left off right-hander Kelvin Herrera after Alex Avila walked in the eighth for the first Detroit hit. Jose Iglesias had reached on an infield single to load the bases. Avila scored on an Anthony Gose ground out for the lone Tigers run.
Herrera, however, walked Ian Kinsler to again load the bases.
In a 10-pitch battle, Herrera struck out Miguel Cabrera, who fouled off four pitches with two strikes. Herrera, who threw 30 pitches in the eighth, retired Victor Martinez on a fly ball to left fielder to end the inning.
The Tigers threatened again in the ninth off Wade Davis with a Cespedes double and an Avila single. Davis struck out Castellanos and retired Iglesias on a comebacker to earn his fifth save in as many chances.
The Royals’ 3-4-5 hitters, Lorenzo Cain, Hosmer and Morales combined to go 7 for 12 with all four runs.
Left-hander Kyle Lobstein (2-2) took the loss, yielding four runs on 10 hits in 7 1/3 innings.
