Royals score runs, salvage series with 4-1 win over Seattle

The Royals snapped a 27-inning scoreless streak and plated four runs to salvage the series in a 4-1 win over the Mariners on Sunday. The Royals managed eleven hits, their most hits since last Sunday against Baltimore, paced by three hits from Alcides Escobar. Ian Kennedy improved to 3-2 in a Royals uniform with a solid, albeit short outing. The right-hander departed after just five innings and 104 pitches, but he struck out six and allowed just four hits and one run.

The Royals ended their offensive drought in the second inning of Seattle starter Taijuan Walker. Alex Gordon was hit by a pitch, then moved to third on a bloop single to right by Salvador Perez. Omar Infante placed a blooper perfectly between a trio of Mariners fielders in shallow center field to score Gordon and give the Royals something other than a goose egg for the first time in three games.

Alcides Escobar opened up the third with a double down the right field line, then advanced to third on Mike Moustakas' ground out. Lorenzo Cain singled up the middle to score Esky, his ninth RBI on the year, good for third on the team. Cain would add his second hit of the day to open up the fifth, before stealing second. Eric Hosmer hit a ground ball deep in the hole at shortstop, but was given a gift when shortstop Ketel Marte threw the ball several feet over the head of first baseman Adam Lind, allowing Cain to score from second.

Ian Kennedy was sharp most of the day, but he ran into trouble in the sixth. Seth Smith, who has plagued the Royals all series, reached on an infield single. Robinson Cano followed with a hit, and Nelson Cruz walked to load the bases with no outs. Danny Duffy replaced Kennedy in the tough situation and proved to be up to the challenge. He struck out pinch-hitter Dae-Ho Lee and third baseman Kyle Seager, two huge outs. He looked like he might get out of the inning unscathed, but Chris Ianetta singled to right to score Smith. Luckily, the damage was contained when right fielder Jarrod Dyson got his third assist of the season when he threw out Robinson Cano trying to score.

Joakim Soria ran into some trouble in the seventh, although he got no help at all from home plate umpire D.J. Reyburn. With one out and a runner at first, Soria threw a beautiful curveball to Seth Smith only to have a balk called by Reyburn because Soria did not come set. Runner Ketel Marte was sent to second, and Soria went on to walk Smith before escaping the jam by getting Robinson Cano to fly out.

Eric Hosmer added an insurance run with his fourth home run of the year, a majestic 395-foot blast that was hit a mile high to right-center field. Kelvin Herrera showed off his nasty slider in a scoreless eighth, and closer Wade Davis allowed just an infield single in a scoreless ninth for his eighth save of the year.

The Royals are back in the run column and back in the win column, to improve to 13-11. It was a rough road trip, but the boys in blue will return home tomorrow for a quick three-game homestand against the Washington Nationals. It is a long flight from Seattle, but at least the team has the confidence they can score a run, and even win a game as they head back home.