Rosenthal earns 1st save since 2017, Royals beat Tigers 5-3

Trevor Rosenthal pitched a scoreless ninth for his first save since 2017 and the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 5-3 on Thursday night, overcoming Miguel Cabrera’s first multihomer game since 2016.

Once a standout closer for St. Louis, Rosenthal has struggled with his health and his effectiveness in recent years, finishing 2019 with a 13.50 ERA in 22 appearances with the Nationals and Tigers. When he retired JaCoby Jones on a grounder to end the game, he gave his glove a little celebratory tap.

The Royals have scored 25 of their 31 runs this year in the first five innings, but this time their offense came through late. Whit Merrifield scored on Salvador Perez's grounder to break a 2-all tie in the seventh. Bubba Starling added a double the following inning that gave Kansas City two insurance runs it ended up needing.

Detroit Tigers' Jonathan Schoop is greeted by teammate Miguel Cabrera after a solo home run to left field during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Thursday, July 30, 2020, in Detroit. (AP PhotoCarlos Osorio)

Cabrera hit solo homers in the first and eighth, and Jonathan Schoop added one for Detroit in the fourth. It was Cabrera's first multihomer game since Sept. 30, 2016 at Atlanta, and he's gone deep three times in the first seven games this year after hitting only 12 home runs in all of 2019. He now has 480 for his career.

Greg Holland (1-0) won in relief for the Royals, and Jose Cisnero (1-1) took the loss.

Brady Singer allowed two runs and five hits in five innings for Kansas City in his second career start. Detroit's Ivan Nova went 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and eight hits.

The Tigers went a third straight game without walking anybody — the first time they've done that since April 13-15, 2015.

Ryan O'Hearn opened the scoring in the top of the first with an RBI single, and Franchy Cordero hit a run-scoring single in the second to put the Royals up 2-1.

After six hits in the first three games of the series, Merrifield didn’t have any Thursday, but he still made an impact. He was hit by a pitch with one out in the seventh, then went to third on Jorge Soler’s double.

Perez hit a bouncer up the middle that was fielded by Schoop, the second baseman. Merrifield scored, although Schoop threw to third to retire Soler.

Starling's double down the line in left field made it 5-2.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Tigers: OF Cameron Maybin left with an apparent injury after beating out an infield hit in the ninth.

UP NEXT

LHP Kris Bubic makes his big league debut for the Royals when he starts their home opener Friday night against Chicago. LHP Dallas Keuchel takes the ball for the White Sox.

Detroit starts a home series against Cincinnati, with RHP Spencer Turnbull (0-0) facing RHP Trevor Bauer (0-0) of the Reds.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — James Harden has passed Shaquille O'Neal for ninth place on the NBA's all-time scoring list.

The Los Angeles Clippers guard made a 3-pointer early in the third quarter on Monday night against the Charlotte Hornets, pushing his career total to 28,598 points in his 1,187th regular season game. O'Neal had 28,596 points in 1,207 games over 19 years.

“Shaquille O'Neal, somebody that I literally grew up watching here in L.A.," Harden said. "Him and Kobe (Bryant) doing their thing, winning multiple championships, the most dominant big man in the history of the game. It's a true honor, it's a testament to the work that I put in.”

Harden, who began the night 14 points behind O'Neal, finished with 32 points and 10 assists in the Clippers' 117-109 win against the Hornets. He had 13 points in the first half — including 11 in the first quarter — and scored 11 in the third and eight in the fourth to increase his scoring total to 28, 614.

Harden entered the night averaging 25.6 points per game, his highest average since the 2019-20 season (34.3 points per game) when he won the last of three straight league scoring titles.

Harden, who began the game with 28,582 career points in his 17th season, faces a steep climb to the next spot. Wilt Chamberlain is eighth with 31,419 points, in just 1,045 games over 14 years. LeBron James is the all-time leader with 42,601 points entering his game with the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday. Following him are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Durant.

Harden recently moved up to 12th on the all-time assists list. The 11-time All-Star also ranks second all-time in 3-pointers made, behind Stephen Curry.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) shoots over Charlotte Hornets guard Sion James (4) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) celebrates his three-point basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) celebrates his three-point basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) dribbles during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)