After 2-run 9th-inning rally, Royals fall to Tigers in 12th

DETROIT On a night marred by an electrical delay, some laissez-faire managing by Ned Yost, a sensational swing by Salvador Perez and a light rain across extra innings, Greg Holland blew a save and cost the Royals a 5-4 loss to the Tigers in 12 innings.

Three innings after Perez boomed a game-tying, two-run shot with two outs in the ninth, Paulo Orlando chopped an RBI groundout to plate rookie outfielder Terrance Gore for the go-ahead run. But Holland crumbled in the bottom of the frame. With the bases loaded, he walked outfielder Tyler Collins. Then he gave up a walk-off single to rookie Dixon Machado.

It was Holland’s fifth blown save of the season. Earlier this week, Yost issued a vote of confidence in his beleaguered closer, but indicated the team would consider alternatives if he continued to struggle.

With Minnesota’s game postponed, the magic number for Kansas City (86-61) to clinch the American League Central title stayed at six. The Royals saw their lead over Toronto in the standings for home-field advantage fall to only one game.

Yost allowed Johnny Cueto to face the top of the Detroit order for the fourth time when he sent the starter back to the mound for the eighth inning. Trying to protect a tied game, Cueto promptly allowed a leadoff double to outfielder Anthony Gose. Wade Davis replaced Cueto, but could not put the fire out. Gose scored the go-ahead run after a single by Ian Kinsler and a sacrifice fly by Miguel Cabrera.

Davis threw away a pickoff attempt at first and Kinsler raced to third base. He scored on a sacrifice fly by Victor Martinez.

The Royals tied the game in the top of the ninth. A two-out single by Eric Hosmer chased Justin Verlander from the diamond. The Comerica Park crowd booed Tigers manager Brad Ausmus for the decision. The jeers only intensified when Perez took reliever Alex Wilson deep.

The Royals got Cueto’s best start in a month. He finished with two runs allowed in seven innings to snap a five-start streak of failure. He gave up eight hits, but limited the damage to a rally in the first inning.

Across those previous five outings, Cueto posted a 9.57 ERA. He served up eight home runs. He allowed opposing hitters to post a 1.086 on-base plus slugging percentage.

The Royals hoped for better on Friday. Yost and pitching coach Dave Eiland met with Cueto earlier this week in Cleveland with the hopes of establishing a better plan moving forward.

A technical snafu delayed Cueto’s chance at redemption by 23 minutes. As Verlander prepared to throw the game’s first pitch, the umpires noticed an extinguished bank of lights high above the right-field pole. Despite protests from Verlander and Ausmus, the game did not begin until the lights flickered on.

At the start, Verlander kept the Royals from generating any electricity of their own. He gave up a two-out, opposite-field, slow-roller single to designated hitter Kendrys Morales in the first inning. Otherwise he retired 12 of the first 13 men he faced.

Detroit tagged Cueto for a run in the first. Second baseman Ian Kinsler smacked a single out of the reach of shortstop Alcides Escobar. Up came Miguel Cabrera, a fearsome hitter stuck in a frightful slump. Cabrera stepped to the plate with zero hits in his previous 20 at-bats.

Cabrera snapped that streak when he attacked a cutter that broke outside of the strike zone. Cabrera dumped it into right field, anyway, for an RBI double.

Cueto struck out J.D. Martinez, but when Victor Martinez singled into center field, the Royals looked on the verge of a two-run deficit. Orlando saved them a run with his arm. With Cabrera lumbering toward home, Orlando one-hopped a throw to catcher Salvador Perez. Cabrera trotted into the tag.

In his second at-bat, Orlando cracked Verlander’s veneer. Perez opened the inning with a single. A groundball out by Alex Rios erased Perez, but the inning stayed alive and Rios eventually stole second base. He tied the game when Orlando yanked a curveball down the third-base line for an RBI double.

Cueto established a rhythm after a 24-pitch first inning. He trusted his fastball, which Yost asked him to do after his last outing, an eight-run disaster against Baltimore. On that night, Yost felt Cueto relied too heavily on his offspeed pitches. The Royals wanted Cueto to hound hitters, rather than try to slip changeups and cutters by them.

So Cueto stranded a pair in the third inning. He jammed J.D. Martinez with a 94-mph fastball for a flyout. Victor Martinez did the same to end the frame. From there, Cueto did not allow a runner to pass first base until the eighth inning.

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