4 Duda RBIs, 3 HRs power KC past Tigers

KANSAS CITY -- Over the past week, Royals manager Ned Yost has said repeatedly that he is seeing his offense methodically come out of its season-long funk.
On Thursday against Detroit at Kauffman Stadium, the Royals' offense surfaced in a big way in a 10-6 win over the Tigers. The 10 runs were the most Kansas City has scored since April 9.
Alex Gordon and Jorge Soler homered to continue their hot streaks, and catcher Salvador Perez also hit a two-run shot, while Lucas Duda had three hits and four RBIs.

"We just knew it would be a matter of time before we got the offense a little on track," Yost said. "It's definitely trending that way for us."
• Gordon continues hot streak with HR vs. Tigers
Added Duda, "I like where the offense is right now."

Gordon also recorded three hits to raise his batting average to .303, while Soler, whose home run traveled a projected 441 feet per Statcast™, now has a nine-game hitting streak.
"When I hit it, I took my eyes off it," Soler said through interpreter Pedro Grifol. "But [my teammates] told me where it landed. Over the [fountains]."

The Royals needed as much offense as they could get on a day in which starter Eric Skoglund struggled, giving up five runs on eight hits over 4 2/3 innings.
"He threw some really good curveballs and some rollers," Yost said. "Just wasn't exceptionally sharp like last time but competed well enough to get us into the fifth. He was starting to hit a wall to me then."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Reliever Kevin McCarthy gave the Royals three scoreless innings late in an extra-innings win over Boston on Tuesday, and he came through again on Thursday. McCarthy came into the game with the Royals clinging to a 7-6 lead with one out in the sixth and runners on first and second. McCarthy got JaCoby Jones to hit a soft liner to shortstop Alcides Escobar, who flipped back to second base for an easy double play when Tigers pinch-runner Niko Goodrum strayed off the bag. McCarthy then pitched a 1-2-3 seventh.
"McCarthy … did a great job," Yost said. "We were just trying to get through it with our bullpen, and he came in and did a great job."

ROYALS OUTRIGHT MAURER
After the win, the Royals announced they have outrighted reliever Brandon Maurer to Triple-A Omaha. The move creates an open spot on Kansas City's 40-man roster.
UP NEXT
Right-hander Ian Kennedy (1-3, 3.48 ERA) takes the mound for the Royals in Game 2 of the series with the Tigers at 7:15 p.m. CT on Friday. Left-hander Francisco Liriano (3-1, 3.38) pitches for Detroit. Kennedy gave up two runs on two walks and five hits over five innings while striking out six on Sunday in a no-decision against the White Sox.