Granderson, Larish give Tigers boost past Royals

DETROIT -- The Detroit Tigers needed only one inning to end their four-game losing streak.

Curtis Granderson and Jeff Larish both drove in two runs and Detroit scored all of its runs in the fifth inning of a 6-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night.

Zach Miner (8-4) allowed a run and six hits in six innings.

"He was effective tonight," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said of Miner. "When he's a starter, he's a four-pitch pitcher. ... His curveball and slider are getting better."

The eight wins are a career high for Miner, who is 5-1 with a 2.68 ERA in eight starts since joining the starting rotation on July 21.

His goal is to be in the same situation next year.

"You can pitch great but then they could trade for Nolan Ryan, Josh Beckett or Roger Clemens and all of a sudden, you're not starting any more," Miner said. "Just do the best you can."

Mark Teahen homered for Kansas City, which has lost 11 of 12. The Royals' only win in that stretch was over the Tigers last Sunday.

"Not enough production. Not enough two-out hits, that's a big part of it," Kansas City manager Trey Hillman said.

Royals starter Kyle Davies (5-6) gave up six runs -- two earned -- and six hits in 4 2/3 innings.

"The first four innings I made the adjustments," he said.

But not in the fifth, which began with Detroit trailing 1-0.

Marcus Thames led off the inning by reaching on a throwing error by Royals shortstop Mike Aviles. First baseman Ross Gload couldn't hold Aviles' one-hop throw.

Leyland said that was the key to the inning.

"I think the biggest part of the inning was Marcus being safe at first," he said. "He hustled all the way and was there when the first baseman dropped the ball."

Edgar Renteria then singled. One out later, Granderson tripled.

"Couple of guys get on and Curtis comes up with the big hit and it kept coming," Larish said.

Granderson scored on Placido Polanco's single and Magglio Ordonez followed with a single. With two outs, Larish hit a two-run single and he scored on Gary Sheffield's RBI single that chased Davies.

"Even in the fifth, I threw some good pitches," he said. "A broken bat falls, jam 'em with a pitch, it falls in, two seeing-eye singles."

Teahen led off the second with his 11th homer. Aviles singled in a run for the Royals in the seventh and Alberto Callaspo's ground out drove in a run in the ninth.

Game notes
Detroit 1B Miguel Cabrera left the game in the sixth with a mild left pectoral strain. He was listed as day-to-day. After the game, he said he might be able to play Saturday. ... Tigers OF Matt Joyce was scratched from the starting lineup with flu-like symptoms. ... Kansas City first-round draft pick Eric Hosmer can't play until the dispute involving the Pittsburgh Pirates, their first-round selection Pedro Alvarez and the players association is resolved, according to the commissioner's office. Alvarez, the No. 2 pick, refused to sign his contract with Pittsburgh and the players' association filed a grievance claiming the Aug. 15 deadline was unilaterally extended by Major League Baseball without the union's permission. The Pirates say Hosmer, a first baseman and the third overall pick, signed after Alvarez.