DETROIT - Alex Gordon already had struck out three times when he came to the plate with the bases loaded in the 10th inning.
“I was just trying to make contact,” the Kansas City outfielder said.
He ended up hitting his first career grand slam, helping the Royals to an encouraging victory at the end of a difficult road trip.
Gordon’s drive highlighted a five run 10th for Kansas City, which rallied against the Detroit bullpen for an 8-3 victory Thursday after Tigers ace Justin Verlander left with a blister on his thumb.
George Kottaras put the Royals ahead 4-3 with a bases-loaded walk off Phil Coke (0-3). Darin Downs came on for Detroit after that, but Gordon broke the game open one out later with a home run that easily cleared the 420-foot marker on the wall in center.
“That’s a big outfield,” Gordon said. “I think there was a storm coming in that kind of blew it out a little bit.”
The game started after a 30-minute rain delay, another interruption in an unusual trip for the Royals. Kansas City had a game at Boston last Friday postponed because of the manhunt for a suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings.
When the Royals arrived in Detroit for what was supposed to be a three-game series, the opener was rained out Tuesday.
Kansas City has not played a home game since April 14. Since then, the Royals have played seven road games in 11 days. They adjusted fine to the unexpected days off and finished the trip with a two-game split against the Tigers, leaving Comerica Park in first place in the AL Central.
The Royals went 4-3 at Atlanta, Boston and Detroit.
“This was a phenomenal road trip for us,” said right-hander James Shields, who pitched eight solid innings Thursday. “We’re going to look back at this road trip, and I think it’s going to be a pretty crucial road trip.”
Verlander is day to day with what the Tigers said was cracked skin on his throwing thumb. He and Manager Jim Leyland described the injury as a blister.
RED SOX 7, ASTROS 2 David Ortiz went 3 for 4 with a home run and two RBI, boosting his batting average over .500 as host Boston beat Houston.
YANKEES 5, BLUE JAYS 3 With Derek Jeter making his first visit to the Bronx this season, Robinson Cano hit a three-run home run and New York used a flurry of early home runs to out slug Toronto.
WHITE SOX 5, RAYS 2 Chris Sale (2-2) and two relievers pitched a combined five-hitter and Adam Dunn homered to lead host Chicago over Tampa Bay.
RANGERS 2, TWINS 1 Nick Tepesch (2-1) gave up one run in 6 2/3 innings for his second victory, and Elvis Andrus and Nelson Cruz each drove in runs to lead Texas to its sixth victory in seven games.
NATIONAL LEAGUE PIRATES 6, PHILLIES 4 Gaby Sanchez homered and drove in three runs, and Garrett Jones hit a go-ahead, two-run double to lead Pittsburgh past host Philadelphia.
DODGERS 3, METS 2 Andre Ethier hit a tie breaking single in the ninth inning as Los Angeles beat host New York.
CUBS 4, MARLINS 3 Luis Valbuena hit a tie-breaking home run in the ninth inning to lift Chicago over host Miami.
NATIONALS 8, REDS 1 Gio Gonzalez (2-1) allowed just one hit in eight innings, and Denard Span and Danny Espinosa drove in three runs each to lead host Washington to the victory over Cincinnati.
DODGERS 3, METS 2 Andre Ethier hit a tie breaking single in the ninth inning as Los Angeles defeated host New York.
PIRATES 6, PHILLIES 4 Gaby Sanchez homered and drove in three runs, and Garrett Jones hit a go-ahead, two-run double to lead Pittsburgh to a comeback victory over host Philadelphia.
Wednesday’s games
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Pittsburgh 6, Philadelphia 4 LA Dodgers 3, NY Mets 2 Washington 8, Cincinnati 1 Chicago Cubs 4, Miami 3 Colorado at Arizona, (n)
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Kansas City 8, Detroit 3 (10) Boston 7, Houston 2 NY Yankees 5, Toronto 3 Chicago White Sox 5, Tampa Bay 2 Texas 2, Minnesota 1 Baltimore at Oakland, (n) LA Angels at Seattle, (n)
Sports, Pages 20 on 04/26/2013