They call him "Tater" now, and for good reason.

Gage Workman delivered a moment the Detroit Tigers desperately needed Sunday night, crushing a pinch-hit, two-run home run that snapped the club's five-game losing streak and breathed life back into a young, resilient roster. The Tigers topped the Kansas City Royals 6-3 at Kauffman Stadium, improving to 19-22 and avoiding a sweep that would have deepened the sting of a rough stretch filled with injuries, late-game struggles, and too many quiet bats.

This wasn't a night built on "pitching chaos"—the Tigers' usual formula. Instead, it was a night of timely swings, a costly Royals mistake in center field, and just enough offense to survive a bullpen-driven game.

The first spark came from rookie Hao-Yu Lee in the second inning. He tripled to right field to score Wenceel Pérez, putting Detroit on the board. The Tigers weren't done. Matt Vierling followed with a double to left-center, driving in Lee and Zack Short. A fielding error by Royals center fielder Kyle Isbel allowed Vierling to advance to third, turning the inning into a three-run frame. Detroit finished with six runs and nine hits, playing clean baseball with no errors—a stark contrast to Kansas City's one costly miscue.

But the Royals didn't go quietly. They answered with two runs in the third on a Vinnie Pasquantino RBI single and a Carter Jensen sacrifice fly. Maikel Garcia tied the game in the fourth with an RBI single after Jac Caglianone doubled. By the middle innings, the Tigers were right back where they'd been all too often lately: locked in a close game, leaning on the bullpen, with no room for error.

Then came the sixth inning. Spencer Torkelson singled with one out, and Tigers manager A.J. Hinch turned to Workman to hit for Short. Workman didn't waste the opportunity. He drove a Nick Mears pitch deep to right field for a two-run home run—his first in a Detroit uniform—giving the Tigers a 5-3 lead they wouldn't relinquish.

Workman's blast added his name to an impressive list. He joined Hao-Yu Lee and Kevin McGonigle as Tigers who made their big league debut this season and immediately homered. For Detroit, that's become one of the most compelling early-season storylines: a wave of young depth being tested under pressure and delivering when it matters most.

The Tigers tacked on another run later to seal the win, but the night belonged to Workman—and to a team that refused to let a five-game slide define them.