Late Tiger Double Sinks Royals

DETROIT (AP) – Jhonny Peralta brought home the go-ahead run when Andy Dirks’ hard slide broke up a potential inning-ending double play in the eighth inning and the Detroit Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 Wednesday night. Detroit wound up alone in first place in the AL Central for the first time since before play on July 24 when the White Sox lost to Cleveland later. Triple Crown candidate Miguel Cabrera was robbed of a tiebreaking homer in the fifth inning by Alex Gordon’s catch above the left-field wall. It looked as if the Royals were going to keep the score tied in the eighth when Peralta hit a grounder to third baseman Mike Moustakas. Dirks, though, slid so late and hard that second baseman Irving Falu didn’t attempt a throw, allowing pinch-runner Don Kelly to score.