Royals pound Tigers, as Cuthbert hits first homer

The KC Royals pounded visiting Detroit, 12-1. They led 12-0 after five innings.

Veteran Jonny Gomes made his Royals debut in the start in right field. He doubled in his first at-bat in the 2nd inning. He went 1-for-2 with a walk.

The Royals offense jumped all over Tigers starter Randy Wolf, as Ben Zobrist hit a solo home run in the first.

Third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert during spring training 2014 on the minor league back fields (Jen Nevius).

With the bases loaded and nobody out in the second, Cheslor Cuthbert singled in two runs. In the third, Lorenzo Cain led off the inning with a home run.

With two on and two outs in the fourth, the Royals tacked on five more runs. It started with a LoCain two-run double. After another walk, Wolf was pulled and Kendrys Morales greeted Tigers reliever Guido Knudson with a three-run home run.

The Royals scored their final runs in the fifth, as Cuthbert hit his first big league home run, a two-run shot. Paulo Orlando followed with a triple before Alcides Escobar singled him home.

 

All of that offense was more than enough for Royals starter Yordano Ventura. Ventura allowed one run on five hits and a walk over seven innings. He struck out 11.

 

With the huge lead, manager Ned Yost pulled all of his starters, allowing the minor league callups to get some action.

That also included lefty reliever Scott Alexander, who made his Major League debut in the top of the ninth. Alexander needed just ten pitches (seven for strikes) to dispatch Bryan Holaday, Victor Martinez, and Nick Castellanos. He struck out Castellanos to end the game.

Christian Colon pinch ran for Esky in the fifth, stayed in at shortstop, and went 0-for-1. Terrance Gore went in to play left field and went 0-for-1 with a strikeout. Franciso Pena did not get an at-bat, but came in to catch. Even Drew Butera got into the game, at first base (0-for-1 with a strikeout).