Jose Lima faced the Detroit Tigers on Sunday wanting to do more than extend his remarkable return to the big leagues.
He wanted to show Detroit general manager Dave Dombrowski, who released him last season, that he still could pitch. Lima did just that, pitching seven strong innings and leading the Royals to a 5-3 victory.
"He released me last year without me doing (anything)," Lima said. "I didn't do drugs. I didn't kill (anybody). I just want to pitch. I spent 43 days without pitching in the bullpen, like I was nobody. Sometimes when it gets to be 14-0, they call in the ninth inning with two out, "Lima get up.' Come on."
Lima was released by the Tigers with a 4-6 record and an ERA of 7.77. After giving up two hits and two runs Sunday, the former NL All-Star is 4-0 with a 3.06 ERA for the Royals.
"I have nothing against the (Tiger players). They work their tail off every year," he said. "Today I felt a little more excited 'cause I've got to prove to them that I can still do it. My teammates backed me up with five runs and some great defense. I settled down, I kept the ball down."
Dombrowski was not in Kansas City to see the Tigers lose three of four to the Royals and commit two errors in the first.
"We were very sloppy that first inning, and that didn't set a good tone," Detroit manager Alan Trammell said.
Lima gave up five walks and struck out five. He loaded the bases on a single and two walks in the first, then walked Eric Munson, forcing in a run.
Munson homered in the fourth.
Desi Relaford had three hits and two RBIs for the Central-leading Royals, who went 6-5 on their homestand.
INDIANS 5, TWINS 3 (10): Shane Spencer hit a two-run homer with two outs in the 10th to give visiting Cleveland a comeback victory.
Matt Lawton, who hit a tying homer off LaTroy Hawkins in the eighth and went 3-for-5 against his old club, singled with one out in the 10th against Eddie Guardado.
Spencer drove an 0-and-2 pitch into the leftfield seats to give the Indians three wins in four games in this series and send Minnesota to its 16th loss in 22 games.
BLUE JAYS 5, ORIOLES 3 (10): Eric Hinske hit two homers and Chris Woodward singled in the tiebreaking run in the 10th as visiting Toronto rallied to avert a four-game sweep.
The Blue Jays trailed 3-1 in the ninth before Greg Myers led off with a home run off closer Jorge Julio. One out later Hinske tied it with a drive to center that glanced off the glove of a leaping Luis Matos before settling in the Baltimore bullpen.
A'S 6, ANGELS 5: Erubiel Durazo hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth as host Oakland avoided a three-game sweep. Eric Byrnes, who doubled off Scott Schoeneweis to open the inning, advanced to third on Scott Hatteberg's sacrifice and scored on Durazo's fly to rightfield.
RANGERS 5, MARINERS 1: Rafael Palmeiro hit his 510th career homer and Ismael Valdes pitched six strong innings to snap a personal three-game losing streak for host Texas.
