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.