DETROIT _ It's not been for a lack of trying, mind you. Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire has on multiple occasions wanted to give his veteran second baseman Jonathan Schoop a day off _ in Lakeland, in the camp intrasquad games, in the two exhibition games in Cincinnati.
"He just doesn't want to come out of a game," Gardenhire said. "He doesn't want to miss a single at-bat."
Maybe it's a Baltimore thing. Schoop spent the first six years of his career with the Orioles, playing 162 and 160 games, respectively in 2016 and 2017. No doubt he's infused with the spirit of Cal Ripken, Jr., right?
Nah.
"I like to go out and enjoy the game," said Schoop, after his monster two-run home run into the center-field shrubbery at Comerica Park Tuesday sparked a four-run third inning and sent the Tigers to a 4-3 win over the Kansas City Royals. "I love to play. I've loved to play baseball since I was 4. So, if I can be out there every day, just find a way, the happier I am.
"I just like to see my name in the lineup every day, just go out, compete and help my team win baseball games."
The Tigers trailed 3-0 entering the bottom of the third.
Rule 5 rookie Rony Garcia made his Major League Baseball debut for the Tigers and pitched reasonably well. The smudge came in the top of the third when preeminent Tiger killer Whit Merrifield hit a three-run home run to left-center. Garcia, who hadn't pitched above Double-A, bowed his neck and struck out the next two hitters _ Jorge Soler and Adalberto Mondesi.
Pretty saucy response. The Tigers' hitters had a response, too.
The bottom of the third started with a fright. JaCoby Jones was struck with a 93-mph fastball from Royals starter Kyle Zimmer in the face. Fortunately for Jones, since he had his jaw broken with a pitch in 2017, he's worn a protective flap extending over his jaw _ which is where the ball struck him.
He was dazed but stayed in the game. And promptly trotted home on a 442-foot home run by Schoop, who stayed on an 85-mph change-up from reliever Tyler Zuber. After a walk to C.J. Cron, Christin Stewart unloaded _ a 404-foot home run to left.
That 4-3 lead stood up, thanks to some impressive work by the Tigers bullpen, and also thanks to some solid defense particularly from third baseman Jeimer Candelario, who made four top-shelf plays.
Tyler Alexander (two innings, two strikeouts), Jose Cisnero (one inning), Gregory Soto (one inning, two strikeouts) and Buck Farmer (one inning) building a sturdy bridge to closer Joe Jimenez.
Jimenez pitched a clean ninth, striking out Salvador Perez to end it. The second out was saved by a heads-up play by catcher Austin Romine. Mondesi hit a high pop up near the mound.
Cron and Candelario converged. Cron ultimately took charge but the ball popped out of his glove. Romine alertly pounced on it and made a strong throw to first base, where Schoop, ever-present was there to tag out Mondesi who had rounded the bag.
The Royals used seven pitchers in the game _ including former Tiger Trevor Rosenthal _ and combined they hit three Tigers (Jones, Schoop on the top of the helmet, and Cron in the back) and walked four.
The Tigers, though, didn't exploit that wildness. They had two runners on in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings and couldn't score. Double-play balls bailed the Royals out in the sixth and seventh.
