Royals ride Chris Young’s strong start to second straight victory over Tigers

Relief pitchers pull for one another’s success, and when one gets a spot start as the Royals’ Chris Young did Friday, bullpen camaraderie goes to another level.

“It was very impressive to watch him,” Ryan Madson said. “We’re out there in the bullpen, that was the most excited I’ve been. It was one of us, one of our own doing that.”

“That” was five innings of no-hit ball that got the Royals well on their way to a 4-1 victory over the Tigers.

A second straight victory to open the series pushed the Royals’ division lead over the Tigers to 11/2 games, and this one had the season’s third sellout crowd of 38,186 at Kauffman Stadium thinking history.

Young departed after throwing 81 pitches, 31 more than he’d thrown in any game this season. Stretching him out further was not an option, Royals manager Ned Yost said.

Pitchers changed, but the no-hitter remained alive for two more innings when Madson set down all six hitters he faced.

Two free-agent signings who had experienced season-ending injuries over the past couple of years had put the Royals within site of the franchise’s fifth no-hitter. It would have been a combo platter joining the likes of Steve Busby, Jim Colborn and Bret Saberhagen on the honor roll, but the list would have expanded.

The history quest ended in the eighth when Nick Castellanos laced a single to left field against fireballer Kelvin Herrera.

At that point, the evening became a victory quest. Herrera, who hadn’t pitched in three days, was erratic and loaded the bases with one out.

The Tigers got one in on a fielder’s choice grounder. Herrera reloaded the bases, and up stepped Miguel Cabrera. The game’s pivotal moment was at hand.

Herrera threw two strikes past Cabrera, but the two-time AL MVP worked the count full. On the showdown’s 10^th pitch, Herrera slid a 99 mph fastball on the outside corner past the swinging Cabrera.

“I tried to stay calm, tried to hit a spot,” Herrera said.

Wade Davis gave up a couple of hits but closed out the ninth for his fifth save, but the night belonged to Young, who kept the Tigers off balance with a variety of off-speed offerings. None of his pitches reached 90 mph, but Young struck out nine.

“They’re such a good hitting team it’s hard to live in the zone,” Young said. “They’ll crush you. You try to get ahead and expand.”

His biggest moment came in the fourth. Young opened the frame by striking out Anthony Gose. For the first time in the game, Young pitched from the stretch and walked Ian Kinsler, Cabrera and Victor Martinez.

Back in the windup, Young struck out J.D. Martinez and Yoenis Céspedes.

The signs for a strong performance were there. The 6-10 right-hander had pitched effectively in line relief this season, bringing a 1.86 ERA in five appearances into the game.

A no-hitter wasn’t foremost on Young’s mind.

“I just wanted to win, I wanted to contribute to a win,” Young said.

Young, 35, was pressed into starting duty as the Royals juggled their rotation after suspensions handed out last week. Friday would have been Edinson Volquez’s start, but after serving his five-game suspension, he’ll go Saturday.

The Royals needed a starter for Friday and turned to Young, who was acquired as a free agent in March.

Last season, Young went 12-9 as a starter for the Mariners and was named the American League Comeback Player of the Year after missing 2013 with a condition that pinched nerves in his right shoulder.

With Young and the relievers keeping the Tigers at bay, the Royals got all the offense they needed their first time through the order.

For the second straight night, the Tigers configured into a dramatic shift against a left-handed power hitter and for the second straight night, the Royals beat it. This time, they made the Tigers pay with first-inning runs.

Lorenzo Cain roped a two-out single, and the Tigers went into their uber-shift, with third baseman Castellanos jogging into short right field, leaving the left side of the infield protected only by shortstop José Iglesias.

Instead of pulling a ball into the teeth of the shift, Eric Hosmer, like Mike Moustakas the day before, laid down a perfect bunt up the third base line.

The right-handed brigade did the rest of the damage in the inning. Kendrys Morales got enough on a swing to send a slow roller past Cabrera’s glove at first. By the time the Tigers tracked it down, Cain and Hosmer had scored. Salvador Perez followed with an RBI single to finish off a three-run inning.

Homser went the other way in his next plate appearance, and it led to the Royals next run. In the third, he dunked a one-out double into left field and hustled home on Morales single of the middle. The throw by Tigers center fielder Gose appeared to beat Hosmer, but catcher Alex Avila couldn’t handle the short hop cleanly.

Morales had his team-best 20th RBI of the season and ninth in the last four games.

By then, the Royals and Young were well on their way to a second straight victory in the series.

Royals 4, Tigers 1

E: Gose 2 (2). LOB: Detroit 8, Kansas City 7. 2B: Cespedes (9), Hosmer (5), K.Morales (8), C.Colon (2). RBIs: Gose (7), K.Morales 3 (20), S.Perez (15). SB: Orlando (2). CS: C.Colon (1).

Runners left in scoring position: Detroit 5 (Cespedes 2, V.Martinez 2, J.Iglesias); Kansas City 3 (Orlando, Infante, Moustakas). RISP: Detroit 2 for 9; Kansas City 3 for 10. Runners moved up: Gose, C.Colon.

Umpires: Home, Lance Barrett; First, Dan Iassogna; Second, Dale Scott; Third, CB Bucknor. Time: 2:47. Att: 38,186.

This story was originally published May 1, 2015 at 10:03 PM with the headline "Royals ride Chris Young’s strong start to second straight victory over Tigers."