19 is magic number for Tigers

Miguel Cabrera matched his career high with five hits and six RBI, and Matt Joyce had four hits and five RBI in Detroit's 19-4 thumping of Kansas City.

Associated Press

Last update: July 22, 2008 - 12:31 AM

KANSAS CITY, MO. – After a slow start, Miguel Cabrera is hitting the way the Detroit Tigers thought he would when they acquired him in an offseason trade.

Cabrera matched his career high with five hits and six RBI, and Matt Joyce added four hits and five RBI as the Detroit Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals 19-4 on Monday night.

It was the third time this season that the Tigers scored 19 runs. The Boston Red Sox were the last team to accomplish that feat, scoring 19 or more four times in 1950 according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Detroit beat Texas 19-6 on April 23 and the Twins 19-3 on May 24.

“Cabrera had a huge night as did a bunch of other guys,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. “When his concentration is locked in, he’s going to hit big-time. When he’s locked in, he’s pretty impressive.”

Cabrera has 31 RBI in his past 35 games, raising his season total to 67 and putting him among the AL leaders.

“When you score runs and drive in runs, you win games,” Cabrera said.

Joyce hit a three-run homer in the third and had two singles in the Tigers’ 10-run eighth inning, which also included a Gary Sheffield three-run homer. Cabrera singled and doubled and drove in two runs in the eighth when the Tigers sent 15 men to the plate off Kansas City relievers Jimmy Gobble and Leo Nunez.

Joyce is hitting .375 with five home runs, seven doubles, two triples and 14 RBI in 18 games since being recalled June 29 from the minors.

“I was actually really surprised it went out,” Joyce said of his home run. “The only night I had better was when I had six hits in rookie ball. I was unconscious. You don’t like to kick a team when they’re down, but at the same time you can’t give away at-bats.”

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