Jack Billingham allowed only two hits before weakening in the ninth inning, but John Hiller relieved and saved the Tigers' 3-2 victory over the Royals. After the Royals picked up an unearned run in the first, the Tigers went ahead in the second when Jason Thompson was safe on an error by George Brett and Aurelio Rodriguez homered.

Lance Parrish walked in the fourth and scored what proved to be the deciding run on singles by John Wockenfuss and Alan Trammell. Billingham departed in the ninth after giving up a walk and the third hit off his deliveries. Hiller retired the side at the expense of only one run on a sacrifice fly by Al Cowens. [The Sporting News]

Detroit Tigers 3, Kansas City Royals 2

Game Played on Friday, June 9, 1978 (Night game) at Tiger Stadium

Royals 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 - 2 3 2 Tigers 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 x - 3 6 2 Royals AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Tigers AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Wilson cf 4 1 1 0 0 0 .242 LeFlore cf 3 0 1 0 1 0 .272 McRae dh 3 1 0 1 1 0 .284 Kemp lf 3 0 2 0 1 0 .289 Hurdle 1b 4 0 1 0 0 0 .241 Staub dh 4 0 0 0 0 1 .291 Brett 3b 4 0 1 0 0 0 .308 Thompson 1b 4 1 0 0 0 0 .285 Cowens rf 3 0 0 1 0 1 .258 Rodriguez 3b 4 1 1 2 0 0 .310 Porter c 3 0 0 0 0 1 .292 Parrish c 3 1 0 0 1 1 .202 Otis ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 .298 Wockenfuss rf 3 0 1 0 0 0 .288 Poquette lf 3 0 0 0 0 0 .225 Corcoran rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 .261 Washington ss 1 0 0 0 1 0 .294 Trammell ss 3 0 1 1 0 0 .293 LaCock ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .189 Whitaker 2b 3 0 0 0 0 0 .308 Terrell ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 .196 Billingham p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 White 2b 2 0 0 0 1 0 .277 Hiller p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Splittorff p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 29 2 3 2 3 3 Totals 30 3 6 3 3 2 Time of Game: 1:55 Attendance: 32,309 Left on Base: Royals 4, Tigers 6 DP: Royals 0, Tigers 0 Errors: Brett, Washington, Parrish, Billingham Home Runs: Rodriguez (5) Stolen Bases: Wilson (22), Washington (7), LeFlore (20) Caught Stealing: Brett (1) Sacrifice Flies: Cowens (6) Royals IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Splittorff L(7-5) 8 6 3 2 3 2 1 33 2.53 Totals 8 6 3 2 3 2 1 33 Tigers IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Billingham W(5-3) 8 3 2 1 3 2 0 30 3.46 Hiller SV(7) 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 2.47 Totals 9 3 2 1 3 3 0 33 Umpires: HP - George Maloney, 1B - Jim McKean, 2B - Greg Kosc, 3B - Jerry Neudecker ROYALS 1ST: Wilson reached on an error by Billingham; Wilson stole second [Wilson to third (error by Parrish)]; McRae grounded out (second to first) [Wilson scored (unearned)]; Hurdle grounded out (second to first); Brett singled to right; Brett was caught stealing second (catcher to second); 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 2 E, 0 LOB. Royals 1, Tigers 0. TIGERS 1ST: LeFlore grounded out (shortstop to first); Kemp grounded out (second to first); Staub grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Royals 1, Tigers 0. ROYALS 2ND: Cowens flied out to right; Porter struck out; Poquette flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Royals 1, Tigers 0. TIGERS 2ND: Thompson reached on an error by Brett; Rodriguez homered [Thompson scored (unearned)]; Parrish flied out to left; Wockenfuss grounded out (third to first); Trammell grounded out (shortstop to first); 2 R (1 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 0 LOB. Royals 1, Tigers 2. ROYALS 3RD: Washington grounded out (first unassisted); White grounded out (shortstop to first); Wilson singled to left; McRae forced Wilson (shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Royals 1, Tigers 2. TIGERS 3RD: Whitaker grounded out (second to first); LeFlore walked; LeFlore stole second; Kemp walked; Staub forced Kemp (first to shortstop) [LeFlore to third]; Thompson popped to third in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Royals 1, Tigers 2. ROYALS 4TH: Hurdle grounded out (second to first); Brett popped to second; Cowens was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Royals 1, Tigers 2. TIGERS 4TH: Rodriguez grounded out (shortstop to first); Parrish walked; Wockenfuss singled to right [Parrish to third]; Trammell singled to right [Parrish scored, Wockenfuss out at second (right to second)]; John Wockenfuss stumbled over 2B bag and was tagged out; Whitaker lined to left; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Royals 1, Tigers 3. ROYALS 5TH: Porter grounded out (second to first); Poquette grounded out (first unassisted); Washington walked; Washington stole second; White walked; Wilson forced White (shortstop unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Royals 1, Tigers 3. TIGERS 5TH: LeFlore grounded out (shortstop to first); Kemp singled to shortstop [Kemp to second (error by Washington)]; Staub flied out to left; Thompson grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Royals 1, Tigers 3. ROYALS 6TH: McRae flied out to right; Hurdle grounded out (first to pitcher); Brett flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Royals 1, Tigers 3. TIGERS 6TH: Rodriguez grounded out (shortstop to first); Parrish flied out to right; Wockenfuss grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Royals 1, Tigers 3. ROYALS 7TH: Cowens grounded out (shortstop to first); Porter lined to shortstop; Poquette lined to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Royals 1, Tigers 3. TIGERS 7TH: Trammell popped to second; Whitaker flied out to center; LeFlore singled to center; Kemp singled to center [LeFlore to third]; Staub struck out; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Royals 1, Tigers 3. ROYALS 8TH: LACOCK BATTED FOR WASHINGTON; LaCock grounded out (second to first); White popped to shortstop; Wilson grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Royals 1, Tigers 3. TIGERS 8TH: TERRELL REPLACED LACOCK (PLAYING SS); Thompson flied out to center; Rodriguez lined to center; Parrish struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Royals 1, Tigers 3. ROYALS 9TH: CORCORAN REPLACED WOCKENFUSS (PLAYING RF); McRae walked; Hurdle singled to right [McRae to third]; HILLER REPLACED BILLINGHAM (PITCHING); Brett popped to shortstop; Cowens hit a sacrifice fly to left [McRae scored]; OTIS BATTED FOR PORTER; Otis struck out; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Royals 2, Tigers 3.

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