DETROIT, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- Marcus Thames homered twice and knocked in three runs Sunday afternoon as Detroit beat the Kansas City Royals, 7-2.
Thames hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the first, and added a solo shot in the third, giving him 17 homers this season.
Detroit’s Ryan Rayburn had two hits, one a solo homer in the eighth, and two RBI.
Carlos Guillen had one RBI, and a run scored on Tony Pena’s second inning throwing error.
Three players had two hits for the Tigers, who won twice in the three-game series.
Winner Justin Verlander (18-6) yielded two earned runs and five hits in six innings with two walks and six strikeouts.
Kansas City got a solo homer from Billy Butler in the second, and one RBI from Jason Smith.
Mark Teahen had a run and two hits for the Royals, who have split their last 10 games.
The losing pitcher was starter Jorge De La Rosa (8-12).
