Killebrew smashed a two-run homer off reliever John Hiller in the eighth inning, breaking a 1-1 tie, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Tigers 3-1.
Killebrew also had a single and a double for the Royals, who rode the pitching of Dennis Leonard to victory.
Hiller surrendered his third home run in just 12.2 innings.
"Bad pitch," Hiller said after the game. "Fat as a beach ball."
Killebrew deposited the pitch about 10 rows into the upper deck in left field. Having played his entire career in the American League, there's no telling how many similar home runs Killebrew has hit in Detroit.
Killebrew turned back the clock Monday night
"I've seen Killer do that way too often to my teams," said Tigers manager Ralph Houk, who managed the Yankees for most of the 1960s and until 1973 before joining the Tigers last year.
But few were bigger than tonight's clout, which tipped the scales in the Royals' favor after a pitching duel between Kansas City's Dennis Leonard and Detroit's Vern Ruhle.
Leonard, just one day after Texas' Fergie Jenkins vexed the Tigers, threw a complete-game eight-hitter for the win.
The Tigers (11-14) have dropped two straight after a four-game winning streak. They scored 27 runs in the winning streak and just three runs over the past two games.
"Just when you think we might be swinging the bats good, we have gone back to bad habits," Houk said. "Too anxious, too impatient. You can't do that against good big league pitchers."
The Tigers fell to 6-10 at Tiger Stadium.
But they are 4-3 on this nine-game homestand, so they can still end it on a positive note.
Southpaw Hiller was summoned after John Mayberry singled with one out in the eighth inning. Though the right-handed hitting Killebrew was up next, Houk saw lefty swinging Vada Pinson after Killebrew.
"I thought if John could get Harmon, there'd be two outs and I'd have a lefty-lefty matchup," Houk reasoned. "Plus, Vern was spent."
But Killebrew "killed" those plans, and the Royals went on to victory. As Killebrew rounded the bases, a smattering of boos and catcalls were heard from the Detroit faithful.
"Maybe they were booing me," Houk said.
"I'd have booed, too," Hiller said.
Notes: Willie Horton is having a strange year as the Tigers' full-time DH. His batting average is a solid .295, but he only has three extra base hits---all homers---and just 13 RBI, batting in the third spot. "The last player I'm worried about is Willie Horton," Houk said. "Check the numbers at the end of the year. I'm just happy he's healthy for a change"... After Killebrew's homer, catcher Bill Freehan went to the mound to speak to Hiller. The conversation was brief. "I just told him to shrug it off and go after Pinson," Freehan said...Houk refuted a TV report indicating that spare infielder Gene Michael, who turns 37 in July, is contemplating retirement. "Stick isn't retiring," Houk said. "He knew that playing time would be limited." Even more so with SS Tom Veryzer and 2B Gary Sutherland hitting so well.
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Tigers record: 11-14 (actual 13-12)
Home: 6-10
Away: 5-4
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