Bobby Witt Jr.’s eighth-inning double drove in the go-ahead run and the Kansas City Royals edged the Detroit Tigers 3-2 on Sunday.

Witt Jr., who on Saturday became the fifth first-year player in major league history to have 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases, reached base three times. He has 24 go-ahead RBIs this season.

Royals manager Mike Matheny said Witt is emerging as a clutch hitter who can be compared with Salvador Perez.

MJ Melendez scored a run and drove in another while Michael A. Taylor had three hits and scored a run.

The Royals, who hit four home runs in a 12-2 win on Saturday, struggled to push across runs most of the game. They left 13 runners on base and went 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

Winning pitcher Dylan Coleman (4-1) pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Scott Barlow collected his 21st save.

Royals starter Max Castillo, recalled from Triple-A Omaha before the game, allowed two runs and five hits and struck out five in 4 2/3 innings.

Detroit starter Matt Manning gave up two runs and five hits in four innings. Gregory Soto (2-8) took the loss.

Harold Castro’s two-run homer accounted for Detroit’s runs. Riley Greene extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a third-inning single.

The Royals took a 2-0 lead in the fourth on Nicky Lopez’s RBI single and Melendez’s bases-loaded walk.

Manning got the last two outs of the inning but reached the 90-pitch mark in the process. Hinch used six relievers.

Detroit quickly tied it in the bottom of the inning on Castro’s sixth homer this season.

Kansas City left the bases loaded in the seventh.

In the eighth, Lopez was thrown out trying to score on a Melendez double. Witt’s double past third baseman Jeimer Candelario drove in the go-ahead run.

UP NEXT:

Royals: RHP Brady Singer (7-4, 3.33 ERA) will start the opener of a three-game home series against the Cleveland Guardians tonight. He’s 2-0 with a 4.21 ERA in seven career appearances against Cleveland, including six starts. That game can be heard on KMMO FM 102.9, with pregame at 6:30 and game-time at 7:10.