Kansas City Royals News

Austin Romine's two-run double keyed a three-run first inning as the Detroit Tigers defeated the Royals 4-3 Saturday night in Kansas City, snapping a five-game losing streak.Neither team scored after the third inning.Matthew Boyd (3-7) battled through six innings to earn the win. He allowed three runs on five hits. Two of his three wins in 2020 came against the Royals, and the Tigers (23-34) won all three of his starts against Kansas City.Bryan Garcia picked up his fourth save in six chances.Carlos Hernandez (0-1) suffered his first career loss for Kansas City (25-34). He allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits in 1 2/3 innings.The Tigers, who came into the game leading the American League with a .271 batting average with two outs and runners in scoring position, capitalized in the clutch again in the first. Niko Goodrum drove in Harold Castro with an RBI single, and Romine drove in two runs with a double off the wall in center.Derek Hill then got his first major league hit, but Romine was thrown out at the plate by Alex Gordon. The seven-time gold glove winner has 102 outfield assists since switching from third base during the 2010 season, the most in MLB in that period.

Brady Singer allowed one run over seven innings to lead the host Kansas City Royals to a 3-1 win over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday afternoon.Singer scattered three hits and struck out five without walking a batter to finish off a solid rookie season at 4-5. The Royals (26-34) won three of the four games in the series between the two worst teams in the American League Central.The Tigers (23-35) opened the scoring in the first inning on a two-out, RBI double by Brandon Dixon. The Royals tied the game in the fourth inning on a solo home run by Adalberto Mondesi.The score remained that way until the fifth, when Royals designated hitter Ryan McBroom launched a home run to left-center to give Kansas City the lead.Mondesi added an insurance run for the Royals in the eighth, hitting an RBI double to right to boost the Royals' advantage to 3-1.Mondesi finished with 12 hits and seven RBIs in the series.Scott Barlow relieved Singer and retired the Tigers in order in the eighth inning. Jesse Hahn recorded his third save of the season by striking out the side in the ninth for Kansas City.

Adalberto Mondesi had at least three hits for the third straight game as the Royals defeated the Detroit Tigers 3-2 Friday night in Kansas City.The Royals (25-33) have won 11 of their last 16 games.Brad Keller (5-3) had his second straight stellar outing at home. In his most recent start at Kauffman Stadium, he threw his first career shutout. Against the Tigers, he allowed no runs on four singles, with five strikeouts and no walks in six innings. He allowed multiple baserunners in only one inning.Jesse Hahn earned his second save.Spencer Turnbull (4-4) took the loss for Detroit (22-34). He allowed three earned runs on six hits in five innings. He struck out five and walked two.Keller has allowed one earned run in 33 innings this year at Kauffman Stadium. His 0.27 home ERA is the lowest among pitchers with at least five starts since at least 1920.Keller finished the season with a 2.47 ERA. He allowed the only two homers of the season in his last start in Milwaukee. He gave up only four extra base hits in 205 opponents' plate appearances in 2020.

Salvador Perez and Franchy Cordero each hit two home runs and drove in a career-high five runs as the Kansas City Royals clobbered the St. Louis Cardinals 12-3 in the rubber game of a three-game series Tuesday in Kansas City. Perez tied his career high in RBIs with five on his first two swings.It was the Royals' first victory in a rubber game all season, having lost 33 of their last 38 rubber games since 2017.The Cardinals (27-26) fell into a tie with Cincinnati and Miami in the National League Wild Card race. They're a half-game ahead of the Giants and a game ahead of Philadelphia and Milwaukee, battling for four playoff spots.Danny Duffy (4-4) earned the win for the Royals (23-33). He allowed one run on six hits, with five strikeouts and one walk, in 5 2/3 innings.Carlos Martinez (0-3) took the loss. He allowed eight runs on nine hits, with two walks and three strikeouts in five-plus innings. He left with two on and no outs in the sixth in apparent pain in his left side. With Dakota Hudson already out for the year, the Cardinals will find it difficult to afford to lose another starter.Perez put the Royals on the board in the first with a two-run home run to straightaway center. Hunter Dozier led off the second with a triple, and he scored on an infield single by Cordero.

Outfielder Alex Gordon is retiring after 14 seasons with the Kansas City Royals, the team announced Thursday."After 14 years of hard work and dedication to the #Royals, Alex Gordon is retiring from baseball," the club posted on Twitter. "Thank you for always giving it your all, Gordo."A three-time All-Star and seven-time Gold Glove winner in left field, Gordon helped the Royals win the 2015 World Series for the franchise's first championship in 30 years.Kansas City finishes the 2020 season with a four-game series at home against the Detroit Tigers, starting Thursday.

Salvador Perez hit a three-run homer, Maikel Franco homered and drove in two runs and the host Kansas City Royals edged the Detroit Tigers 8-7 on Thursday.Adalberto Mondesi supplied four hits, two runs scored and two RBIs for the Royals (24-33). Jesse Hahn (1-0) recorded four outs to get the victory and Jake Newberry got the last four outs for his first career save.Miguel Cabrera smashed his third homer in two games and drove in three runs for the Tigers (22-33). Willi Castro homered among three hits, scored three times and drove in three runs.Detroit first baseman Jeimer Candelario left the game in the fourth inning due to a back injury.The Royals used a bloop, a bunt and a blast to gain a 3-0 lead in the first. Whit Merrifield reached on a soft single to right, stole second and moved to third on Mondesi's bunt single. Perez then ripped his 11th homer this season over the left-field wall.Detroit got on the board in the third when Victor Reyes reached on a bunt single and scored on Castro's sixth homer this season.

Dylan Carlson had three hits, three runs and two RBIs to help the St. Louis Cardinals defeat the host Kansas City Royals 5-0 Tuesday.Carlson finished a homer shy of the cycle.Cardinals starter Austin Gomber (1-1) allowed four hits and no walks, striking out three, in six innings. His longest outing previously this season was three innings.A night after losing ground to most of their competitors in the National League playoff race, the Cardinals enjoyed a positive night. With the Reds losing Tuesday to the Brewers, St. Louis (27-25) grabbed a one-game lead over Cincinnati (28-28) and Milwaukee (27-27) for second place in the NL Central and an automatic playoff berth.The Philadelphia Phillies (27-29) lost a doubleheader to the Washington Nationals, and the San Francisco Giants (26-27) played later Tuesday. Philadelphia and San Francisco are battling the NL Central teams that finish outside the top two for the two NL wild-card berths.The Royals (22-33) are officially eliminated from postseason contention.Brady Singer (3-5) took the loss with the worst -- and shortest -- outing of his brief major league career. He gave up three runs on three hits in three-plus innings. His problem was control, as he issued a career-high five walks and hit a batter with a pitch.Singer, who had allowed no runs and three hits in 14 innings combined in his last two starts, struggled from the start. He walked two batters in the first but escaped trouble. He wasn't as fortunate in the second when he walked the first two batters before Carlson hit a two-run double.

Daniel Vogelbach belted two home runs and drove in five runs to lift the host Milwaukee Brewers to a 5-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.The Brewers (26-26) kept their playoff hopes on pace after completing a three-game sweep of the Royals (21-32). They scored 16 of their 19 runs in the series on home runs, including a grand slam and a trio of three-run shots.The Brewers entered Sunday's action in a three-way tie with Cincinnati and San Francisco, and a game behind St. Louis, for the seventh and eighth National League playoff spots. They'll finish their season on the road, with three games at Cincinnati and then five games at St. Louis.The Royals could help the Brewers' chances. They head home for their final two series, a three-game series against the Cardinals followed by a four-game set versus Detroit.Josh Lindblom (2-3) picked up the win after surrendering one run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out two and walked none.Josh Hader recorded the final out to pick up his 10th save in 12 chances.Vogelbach's homers are the only two allowed by Brad Keller (4-3) this season in 48 2/3 innings. Keller has allowed four extra-base hits in 194 opponents' plate appearances this season. He gave up five runs on five hits and three walks in five innings.Vogelbach put the Brewers on the board in the first inning with a two-run home run that traveled 429 feet.

Maikel Franco drove in two runs and scored a third run as the host Kansas City Royals defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1 on Monday night.The Cardinals (26-25) came into the game with a half-game lead on the Phillies and a full-game lead on the Reds, Brewers and Giants in the crowded National League Wild Card race. The Phillies lost to the Nationals, while the Reds beat the Brewers and the Giants hosted the Rockies later in the evening.The Cardinals fell into a tie with the Reds for second in the NL Central, which carries an automatic playoff berth. They're both a half-game ahead of the Phillies and Giants and a game ahead of the Brewers. The Cards and Brewers will play a five-game series in St. Louis beginning Thursday.Josh Staumont (2-1) picked up the win for the Royals (22-32). Staumont threw two innings of hitless relief. Greg Holland picked up his sixth save in as many chances.Adam Wainwright (5-2) took the loss after running into trouble in the sixth. The inning began with the game tied at 1-1, but he threw 32 pitches and allowed two runs in that inning before leaving with two outs and the bases loaded.The Cardinals opened the scoring in the second inning on a solo home run by Matt Carpenter. It was the fourth home run allowed this season by Royals starter Carlos Hernandez in 13 innings this season.Hernandez threw a career-high 72 pitches, allowing one run on four hits, with three walks and four strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings.

Miguel Cabrera and Willi Castro homered and four Detroit pitchers combined on a shutout as the host Tigers snapped the Kansas City Royals' six-game winning streak, 6-0, on Tuesday.Cabrera reached base five times for Detroit (21-26) and Castro had three hits and scored two runs. Jeimer Candelario also supplied three hits and scored twice, while Jorge Bonifacio drove in two runs. Niko Goodrum chipped in two hits while scoring and knocking in a run.Matthew Boyd (2-6) pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings, giving up two hits and walking four while striking out five.Kansas City's scheduled starter, Danny Duffy, was benched after missing the team flight. Replacement Jakob Junis (0-2) allowed five runs on seven hits in 2 1/3 innings as the Tigers five of their six runs during the first three innings.Whit Merrifield and Salvador Perez had two hits apiece for the Royals (20-29). Kansas City, which began a five-game road trip, defeated opponents by a combined score of 44-14 during the winning streak but left 10 men on base while getting blanked.The Royals threatened in the first inning but Merrifield was thrown out trying to score from third on a groundout.Detroit scored three two-out runs in the bottom of the inning. There were runners on the corners when Goodrum, just activated off the injured list, ripped a single to left. He reached second on the relay throw to third. Bonifacio then drilled a single to center to knock in Candelario and Goodrum.

Brad Keller pitched his first career shutout as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-0 Sunday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium. Keller allowed just five hits and one walk as the Royals won their sixth straight.Salvador Perez and Hunter Dozier each had three hits, with a home run, for Kansas City. Dozier scored three times and Perez scored twice. Maikel Franco added three hits.Keller (4-2) is 3-0 with a 0.33 ERA (one earned run in 27 innings) at home this season. A one-out double in the sixth ended a stretch of one extra-base hit allowed in the last 157 opponents' plate appearances.Chad Kuhl (1-2) had a rough outing for the Pirates (14-30). He allowed nine runs on four hits -- with six walks -- in 2 1/3 innings.The six-game winning streak is the longest since for the Royals (20-28) since winning six straight Aug. 28-Sept. 3, 2018. Sunday was the last day of a 17-day stretch in which the Royals played every day. Kansas City went 8-9, including a seven-game losing streak that preceded the six-game winning streak.The Royals scored four runs in the first on only two hits. The Pirates' defense helped, although no errors were charged. Whit Merrifield walked and Perez singled him to second. Franco hit a line drive to third that rolled away from JT Riddle. Instead of an inning-ending double play, Franco had an RBI single. Dozier then walked, loading the bases.

Adalberto Mondesi hit a two-run homer and Whit Merrifield added a solo shot Saturday as the Kansas City Royals won their season-best fifth straight game, 7-4 over the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.Salvador Perez added an RBI single for the Royals (19-28).Josh Bell, Bryan Reynolds and Adam Frazier hit solo homers for Pittsburgh (14-29), which has lost three straight.Kansas City's Carlos Hernandez, in his first career start, pitched three innings, allowing three runs and three hits, with two strikeouts and no walks.Kyle Zimmer (1-0) pitched a scoreless 2 1/3 innings. Greg Holland pitched the ninth for his fifth save.Pirates starter Trevor Williams (1-7) got roughed up for six runs and 10 hits in five innings.The start was delayed a half hour because of a police event at adjacent Arrowhead Stadium.Merrifield got an early home run derby going with a solo shot to left, his ninth, in the first.The Pirates countered in the second when Bell hit his sixth homer, a shot to left, and Reynolds made it 2-1 with a homer to center, his fourth.

The Tampa Rays received outfielder Michael Gigliotti from Kansas City to complete a July 21 trade that allowed the Royals to have more options with right-hander Stephen Woods Jr.As a Rule 5 selection, Woods needed to remain on the Royals' active roster or be offered back to the Rays at half the price they paid to select him. Rule 5-eligible players are those who have spent five years in an organization and are not on the 40-man roster. Any player with that status is exposed to the Rule 5 draft during the MLB winter meetings.By sending Gigliotti to Tampa Bay, the Royals now have the option to send Woods to the minor leagues, or back to the alternate training site under 2020 rules.

Rookie Kris Bubic picked up his first career win with five innings of one-run ball as the host Kansas City Royals defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 Friday night.Maikel Franco had a pair of RBI singles for Kansas City (18-28), and Adalberto Mondesi homered and scored three runs.Bubic (1-5) battled all night, fighting through many of his own messes. He faced baserunners in every inning, allowing six hits and two walks. He struck out six, four of them with runners in scoring position.Greg Holland earned his fourth save with a perfect ninth inning.Steven Brault (0-3) took the loss for Pittsburgh (14-28). He allowed three runs on five hits in four innings. He also issued three walks and struck out four.The Royals got on the board in the first when Mondesi hit his third home run of the season -- and of the week. He connected on a 418-foot blast to left field that also extended his hitting streak to a career-high-tying eight games. During his streak, he is hitting .333 (10-for-30).The Royals got two more runs in the third. Mondesi walked with one out and moved to third on a single by Salvador Perez, back after a 22-game stint on the injured list caused by blurred vision. Mondesi scored and Perez went to second on a bloop hit by Franco, and Perez came home on Hunter Dozier's line-drive single.

Danny Duffy pitched into the sixth inning and Nicky Lopez had three hits and an RBI to help the visiting Kansas City Royals earn a 3-0 win over the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday night.Duffy (3-3) found himself locked in a modest pitchers' duel with Cleveland's Carlos Carrasco (2-4). The Kansas City left-hander allowed four hits, struck out four and overcame four walks over 101 pitches in 5 2/3 innings to keep the Indians in check.The Royals (16-28) posted a second straight win over the Indians after losing seven in a row.Three Royals relievers held Cleveland batters to two hits over 3 1/3 innings. Greg Holland pitched the ninth for his third save.Carrasco also threw 101 pitches, though he lasted seven innings. He yielded a run on seven hits and fanned six without a walk. In the mix for first place in the American League Central, the Indians (26-17) have dropped two straight after winning five of their previous six contests.Kansas City jumped on top in the sixth. No. 9 hitter Cam Gallagher opened the frame with a single, went to third on Whit Merrifield's second hit of the game and scored on Adalberto Mondesi's single to right field.

Rookie Brady Singer carried a no-hit bid into the eighth inning and Maikel Franco drove in five runs to lift the visiting Kansas City Royals to an 11-1 romp over the Cleveland Indians on Thursday.Making his ninth career start, Singer (2-4) saw his no-hit bid halted after Austin Hedges slapped a single to right field with two outs in the eighth inning. The 24-year-old right-hander quickly settled himself and fanned Delino DeShields for his eighth strikeout over eight scoreless innings.The strong performance for Singer was in stark contrast to his previous four starts, during which he posted an 0-3 record and allowed 15 runs on 25 hits with four homers.Franco joined Adalberto Mondesi in belting a three-run homer and matched Whit Merrifield with three hits for the Royals (17-28), who have won three in a row following a season-high seven-game losing streak.Edward Olivares, who was acquired from San Diego in the Trevor Rosenthal deal on Aug. 29, extended his hitting streak to seven games with a one-out single in the fourth inning. The 24-year-old Olivares then gave Kansas City a 4-0 lead in the sixth after depositing a first-pitch slider from Aaron Civale (3-5) over the wall in left-center field for his third homer of the season.Franco capped his scintillating performance in the seventh inning by sending a 3-1 cutter from Dominic Leone over the wall into the bleacher seats in left field. The three-run blast was Franco's seventh homer of the season and first since Aug. 29.

Maikel Franco's sacrifice fly plated the go-ahead run in the eighth inning as the Kansas City Royals snapped a seven-game losing streak with an 8-6 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday.Francisco Lindor and Carlos Santana each belted a two-run homer and Sandy Leon also went deep for the Indians (26-16), who saw their three-game winning streak come to a halt.Adalberto Mondesi singled off Adam Cimber (0-1) to lead off the eighth inning before stealing second and advancing to third on Hunter Dozier's base hit. Franco's fly ball to center field was deep enough to plate Mondesi and gave Kansas City a 6-5 lead.Oliver Perez relieved Cimber and promptly allowed a single to Alex Gordon and a walk to Ryan McBroom before hitting Lopez with a pitch to drive in a run.The Royals added an insurance run in the ninth inning on Franco's RBI single to center field.Greg Holland (3-0) picked up the win after striking out three batters in two scoreless innings of work. Scott Barlow permitted an RBI groundout before securing his second save.

The Indians (26-15) moved into a first-place tie with the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central.Franmil Reyes, who went 10-for-13 against the Royals (14-28) last week in Kansas City, was 2-for-3 with a walk.Plesac (3-1) allowed one run on seven hits in seven innings. He gave up one single in each of the first six innings. He allowed five hits in six scoreless innings in his last outing in Kansas City. Plesac has allowed just five earned runs this season, all on home runs, in 34 innings.Brad Hand earned his 12th save by striking out the side in the ninth.Brad Keller (3-2) took the loss. He allowed five runs, four earned, on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings.The Indians scored twice off Keller in the second. Carlos Santana and Reyes both singled. Tyler Naquin drove in Santana with a groundball to Whit Merrifield that caromed off Merrifield's glove for an error. Josh Naylor then drove in Reyes with a fielder's choice.Francisco Lindor led off the fourth with a single. He scored on a sacrifice fly by Naylor.Adalberto Mondesi hit a home run in the seventh for the Royals. His first home run of the season traveled 458 feet, the longest by a Royal this season. He had nearly 80 at-bats without an extra-base hit before a bloop double on Sunday.

Dallas Keuchel threw five shutout innings before leaving with lower back stiffness as the Chicago White Sox defeated the host Kansas City Royals 8-2 on Sunday. It was the eighth time in nine starts that Keuchel (6-2) allowed two earned runs or fewer.The left-hander allowed two hits and no walks and threw just 49 pitches before he suffered the injury while warming up for the sixth inning.The injury detracted from the White Sox (26-15) winning their 16th game in the last 20. They maintained their half-game lead over the Cleveland Indians. The Minnesota Twins are one game out.The White Sox swept the four-game series and finished the season series 9-1 against the Royals. The last time the White Sox swept a four-game series against the Royals was in July 1997.Edwin Encarnacion had a home run and four RBIs for Chicago.Jose Abreu stroked a single in the seventh inning, extended his hitting streak to 20 games, the longest in the majors this season.Matt Harvey (0-3) took the loss as the "opener" for the Royals (14-27). He allowed one run on four hits in 2 1/3 innings. He had allowed at least three earned runs in each of his previous three starts, none of which lasted longer than three innings.

Jose Abreu launched a 425-foot, two-run home run in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 19 games and give the Chicago White Sox a lead they would not relinquish as they beat the host Kansas City Royals 5-3 Saturday night at Kauffman Stadium.Abreu's streak is the longest in the majors this season and his 40 RBIs in 40 games lead the majors.The White Sox (25-15) are guaranteed to enter Sunday still in first place in the American League Central as they improved to 8-1 against the Royals this season.Lucas Giolito (4-2) earned the win, giving up three runs on five hits in six-plus innings. He struck out nine and didn't walk anyone.Alex Colome picked up his ninth save in 10 chances.Through three games of the four-game series, the Royals (14-26) have not led since the first inning of the first game. They took a 1-0 lead in the first inning Thursday, but the White Sox scored five in the second.Kris Bubic (0-5) was the hard-luck loser for the Royals. He allowed five runs, but only two were earned. An error by Maikel Franco led to three unearned runs in the fifth. Bubic pitched a career-high seven innings, allowing four hits, striking out four and walking one.