You have to hand it to the last-place Kansas City Royals.

They went out there on a soggy Tuesday night and battled the Tigers in front of fewer fans than I have ants in my kitchen and after manager Trey Hillman had to answer allegations that the team had all but given up on 2009.

Not that I want to detract from KC’s victory last night, but they certainly had some help from the Tigers bullpen.

Rookie sensation Rick Porcello had an okay start, pitching 6 innings and giving up 7 hits.  He then turned it over to the pen after giving up a single to Betancourt to start the 7th.  This is where the Tigers 5-4 lead evaporated.

Bobby Seay was only able to retire one batter on a sacrifice bunt but allowed a single and then hit Maier to load the bases.

Ryan Perry comes in to mop up the mess but allows back-to-back singles which score two runs, one of which puts the Royals ahead.  Yes, none of this would have happened if Clete Thomas hadn’t missed that foul ball, but it’s no excuse.

Ailing starters Jeremy Bonderman and Nate Robertson, working out of the pen, gave up another run in the 8th and the Tigers offense wasn’t able to come back against surprisingly-effective Royals late relievers.

While only Porcello, Seay and Bonderman technically gave up runs, all Tigers relievers (save Fu-Te-Ni) were complicit in this loss, failing to stop the bleeding when necessary.

I don’t think anyone is sounding any alarm bells, but it certainly doesn’t help your momentum when you drop a game to the AL Central cellar-dwellers after coming from behind three nights in a row to beat the AL Defending Champion Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

But at the end of the day, it’s a mulligan.  Minnesota and Chicago both lost to struggling teams and the Tigers lead atop the AL Central remains at 7 games.

They just can’t afford to throw away games when they will see the Twins and Whits Sox for 13 of their remaining games.