In an impressive performance, Michael Lorenzen led the Detroit Tigers to a 3-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday, securing another series win against their AL Central rivals. Lorenzen, who had been vocal about his dislike for day games, pitched seven innings of three-hit ball, extending his scoreless streak to 23 2/3 innings dating back to June 30.
The Tigers scored twice off Zack Greinke in the second inning and added another run in the fifth after the veteran right-hander was removed from the game. Greinke had been dealing with shoulder tendinitis and had been on the injured list since July 4. The Royals had some scoring opportunities but struggled to capitalize on them, leaving runners on base multiple times.
Detroit’s Spencer Torkelson, Andy Ibañez, and Eric Haase drove in the runs that secured the victory. The Tigers have been dominant against the Royals this season, with a 7-3 record against them so far.
In a notable defensive play, Royals reliever Nick Wittgren had his glove knocked off his hand by a line drive, but he quickly recovered the ball behind the mound and threw out the batter at first base.
Prior to the game, the Royals reinstated Greinke from the 15-day injured list. Greinke had been sidelined for two weeks due to a right shoulder strain. The team was cautious about his outing duration, considering he hasn’t pitched since July 4. He entered the day just 54 strikeouts away from reaching 3,000 strikeouts in his career.
To make room for Greinke’s return, the Royals optioned right-handed pitcher Max Castillo to Triple-A Omaha. Castillo made one appearance in his third stint with the Royals this season, pitching three scoreless innings with one strikeout on Wednesday. Manager Matt Quatraro praised Castillo for his fearlessness and team-first attitude, but he will be given some rest after his outing.
Next up, the Tigers will face the Padres with Reese Olson starting on Friday night, while the Royals will take on the Yankees, with Alec Marsh starting the opener.
Here is the MLB scoreboard for Thursday, July 20, 2023 (as of 6:00 PM)
Toronto 4, San Diego 0
Chicago (AL) 6, New York (NL) 2
Detroit 3, Kansas City 0
Seattle 5, Minnesota 0
Tampa Bay 1, Baltimore 0 (Bottom 2)
Houston at Oakland – 8:40 PM
Atlanta 7, Arizona 5
Cincinnati 5, San Francisco 1
Milwaukee 4, Philadelphia 0
St. Louis at Chicago (NL) – 7:05 PM
