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Before a long time, Detroit Spencer Turnbull Tiger launcher could start hearing his name during the AHL rookie discussion.

Oh yes, Brandon Dixon, who entered the game in the eighth round as a claw hitter, looks pretty good.

Turnbull pitched seven solid runs Sunday, leaving a 2-1 lead, and Dixon started a three-run run in the 10th inning, bringing the Tigers to an exciting 5-2 win over the Kansas City Royals.

Brandon Dixon (12), the Tigers left league player, is assaulted by his teammates after scoring a goal against three points in the 10th inning against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park. (Photo: Rick Osentoski – USA Today Sports)

Turnbull – looking like a launcher capable in the middle of the rotation, Matthew Boyd – was on track to win his third consecutive start, though he did not consider that decision after Joe Jimenez allowed his team to score eighth.

Turnbull (2-2) went into the seventh-ranked game of the American League with a 2.53 ERA and lowered it to 2.31 on Sunday's outing. He allowed a run on six hits and a walk. He launched 102 shots – 68 for the strikes – and withdrew seven.

Turnbull was replaced by Jimenez in the eighth inning and the Tigers have a 2-1 lead. Nicholas Castellanos had a singles in the third row, equaling 1-1, and Miguel Cabrera's fifth in the game, bringing the score to 2-1.

Spencer Turnbull, No. 56 of the Detroit Tigers, faces the Kansas City Royals in Round 2 at Comerica Park on May 5, 2019 in Detroit. (Photo: Duane Burleson, Getty Images)

Jimenez pulled out the first two batters in eighth place before Hunter Dozier of Kansas City scored a solo goal on the right, bringing the score to 2-2. Shane Greene, closer, worked a scoreless ninth, sending him to extra innings.

Dixon, who scored his first batting match before taking a stunning dive into the left field, took a 1-1 step over the right-field fence against Royals pitcher Ian Kennedy. It was his first career and a first for the Tigers.

Quick walk of the water

After giving Adalberto Mondesi a double in the first set, blocked in the third set, Turnbull had problems in the second set.

Jorge Soler started with a double, followed by Ryan O'Hearn's single in the middle. Kelvin Gutierrez went 1-0 with a single RBI, but after a sacrificial offensive, Turnbull forced Billy Hamilton to fly and neutralized Whit Merrifield in an attempt to stop the threat.

Turnbull dropped nine of the next 10 batters, and O'Hearn picked up a single in the fourth. In the sixth match, Turnbull released a pair of two outings, bringing out Gutierrez.

Big swings

Cabrera, who on Saturday attributed his decline in power this season The absence of big bat in the formation of the Tigers gave two good shots to the starter of the Royals, Brad Keller.

[ Ron Gardenhire: Miggy’s power comments ‘a little crazy’ ]

At the bottom of the first, Cabrera hit a brace on the right and was left on the base when Niko Goodrum hit.

In the fifth, after consecutive jaunts of JaCoby Jones and Jeimer Candelario, followed by the start of Castellanos, Cabrera shot a ball in the middle of the field, overtaking the Royals' short stop, scoring Jones in third place.

Cabrera hit in the third and jumped in the seventh and tenth innings.

Welcome to the show

After pitcher Drew VerHagen was designated for the posting after Saturday's 15-3 loss to the Royals, the Tigers called right-man reliever Eduardo Jimenez of Triple-A Toledo.

Although he did not participate in Sunday's game, Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire is eager to see Jimenez in action soon. Splitting the time between Double-A Erie and Toledo this season, he posted an average of 2.77 silver points with 11 strikeouts.

"A good arm, a good fastball, the slider has a small inclination," said Gardenhire before Sunday's game. "We'll see how ready he is once I get him out."