Jones, Hicks blast 2 homers in Tigers' 13-2 win over Royals

DETROIT (AP) - JaCoby Jones and John Hicks hit two home runs and the Detroit Tigers had six homers in all in a 13-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.

Tigers starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez threw only five pitches and was knocked out of the game in the first inning after getting hit by Whit Merrifield's single in the right leg. Sanchez, who was charged with one earned run when Merrifield later scored, left the game with a calf injury.

Reliever Myles Jaye (1-0) replaced Sanchez and pitched 2 1/3 innings. He allowed one hit, two walks and a wild pitch, leaving in the third inning with the Tigers holding a 7-1 lead.

Jason Vargas (14-10) took the loss, allowing seven earned runs and six hits, a walk and a hit batter in two innings of work.

After the Royals took the 1-0 lead, the Tigers scored seven runs in the second inning. Jeimer Candelario had a two-run double, followed by Alex Presley's RBI single, Jones' two-run homer and Mikie Mahtook's two-run homer.

Hicks' two-run homer in the fourth made it 9-1 and Jose Iglesias' solo shot in the fifth pushed it to 10-1. Jones had his second homer, a solo blast, in the seventh, and Hicks hit another home run in the eighth.

Lorenzo Cain had a solo home run for the Royals in the sixth, making it 10-2.

TRAINERS ROOM

Tigers: Sanchez, who recently returned from the disabled list with a hamstring injury, tried to throw a few pitches after being hit in the first inning. He could not apply pressure to his leg, though. His injury was a right calf contusion and X-rays were negative.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Jason Hammel (7-10, 4.80 ERA) faces the Tigers on Wednesday.

Tigers: LHP Matthew Boyd (5-8, 5.92) takes on the Royals.