Gose's speed torments Royals
Outfielder changes game in Tigers' favor on basepaths
KANSAS CITY -- Only the rulebook could slow down Anthony Gose on Saturday night at Kauffman Stadium.
After Gose's third hit of the night against the Royals, he took off on a pitch Ian Kinsler hit to center field, getting such a jump that he was sliding into second base as Lorenzo Cain caught the ball. He got back to first base with ease, but was ruled out because the umpires ruled he had technically turned towards third base and didn't retouch second base afterward.
"I slid in and instead of being more under control, I panicked a little bit and tried to get back," Gose said. "Instead of slowing things down, I let it speed up on me."
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For most of the game, it was the other way around. The Tigers didn't produce much offense in their 2-1 win over the Royals, but they did their damage when Gose sped things up.
His previous slide into second, or at least near it, helped score Detroit's first run. His third-inning single put runners on first and second with nobody out for Kinsler, who hit what looked like a double-play grounder to second. Gose's slide never touched shortstop Christian Colon, but it flipped him without contact, sending Colon's throw wide of first base and allowing Rajai Davis to score on the error.
As takeout slides go, it was a best-case scenario, altering the double-play throw without injuring the thrower.
"I'm going in there to break it up, give us a chance for another out," Gose said. "In that situation, it brings up [Miguel] Cabrera."
Two innings later, his read on his blooper to left allowed him to speed around first base and keep going as Alex Gordon's attempt at a diving catch fell short. Gose ended up easily on second base, which allowed him to end up at home on Kinsler's single three pitches later for a 2-0 lead.