Jarrod Dyson doubled and scored the go-ahead run in the fifth inning and the Kansas City Royals bullpen preserved another lead, holding off the Detroit Tigers 3-2 Monday to complete a four-game sweep on the road for the first time since 1999.
Detroit (7-16) has the worst record in the majors after losing 10 of its last 11 games and is off to its worst start since 2003.
Kansas City starter Brad Keller (2-2) gave up two runs and eight hits over six innings.
Scott Barlow and Greg Holland followed for the Royals, each throwing a scoreless inning. Josh Staumont pitched the ninth for his second save in as many chances. The Royals have won 58 straight games — dating to June 21, 2019 — when ahead after the seventh inning for the longest such streak in baseball.
In the third inning, the Royals took a 2-0 lead on Carlos Santana‘s fifth homer of the season.
Dyson scored the go-ahead run after doubling, advancing on Nicky Lopez‘s bunt and coming home on Whit Merrifield‘s sacrifice fly.
Kansas City catcher Salvador Perez was taken out of the game after the top of the sixth inning with an injured right thumb after tagging Cabrera out on a play at the plate in the third. Perez played in his 1,000th game, becoming the 13th Royal and sixth active catcher to reach the milestone.
The Royals stay on the road, starting RHP Jakob Junis (1-0) when they face Pittsburgh Pirates LHP Tyler Anderson (2-2) on Tuesday night at 5:35.