Royals fans have embraced starting pitcher Johnny Cueto from the moment he was traded from Cincinnati to Kansas City. Cueto returned the favor Monday night.
The right-hander excelled in his home debut against Detroit by hurling a complete-game shutout. He allowed just four hits, walked none and fanned eight for his finest performance in five weeks.
Cueto retired the side in order five times in taming the Tigers. Only J.D. Martinez, who doubled in the first, reached second base against him.
"He actually heard [the crowd] in the eighth and that's when he was excited to go back out for the ninth," Cueto told ESPN through a translator. "That's when he asked Ned (Yost) to please send him back out."
The right-hander has been tearing it up since a mini-slump in mid-July. He has given up only five runs in his last 30 innings in reducing his ERA to 2.05, which ranks second in the majors behind Zack Greinke.