Michael Wacha shuts down Tigers as Royals win 7th straight

Field Level Media|published: Sat 22nd August, 21:46 2026 Aug 22, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals designated hitter Salvador Perez (13) hits a home run during the fourth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images

Michael Wacha allowed one run over seven strong innings, Kyle Isbel and Salvador Perez each hit a solo homer and the host Kansas City Royals extended their season-high winning streak to seven games with a 3-1 victory over the struggling Detroit Tigers on Saturday night

Wacha (7-8) yielded only a home run to Hao-Yu Lee and two other hits, issuing a walk and striking out six in another stellar effort versus Detroit. It was the 17th quality start of the season for the veteran right-hander, fourth-most in the majors. He has recorded three of them, while yielding three runs over 21 innings, in as many starts against the Tigers this season.

Alex Lange pitched a perfect eighth inning and Craig Kimbrel overcame a two-out walk and a balk in the ninth to record his first save since 2024 for the Royals, who are 6-0 on a seven-game homestand. Isbel, meanwhile, homered in a second straight game for Kansas City, which has hit five solo home runs in the first two games of this series.

Drew Anderson (4-5) was charged with three runs, while also allowing all five of Kansas City’s hits, in five-plus innings for Detroit, which lost its fourth straight and seventh in the last eight games. Rookie Brett Callahan doubled and Dillon Dingler singled for the Tigers’ other hits in the defeat.

The Royals opened the scoring in the third inning when Isbel led off the frame with a drive well over the right-field fence against Anderson. One inning later, Perez made it 2-0 when he went deep to center field for career home run No. 320.

Detroit, meanwhile, managed one hit through the first four innings against Wacha. Then Lee took him deep to left field in the fifth, making it 2-1.

Kansas City, however, got that run back in the sixth. Jac Caglianone opened with a double down the right-field line and eventually scored from third via Tanner Rainey’s two-out wild pitch.

–Field Level Media

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