ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Albert Pujols, Cameron Maybin and Luis Valbuena each homered and Alex Meyer dominated for six innings as part of a two-hitter, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat Kansas City 9-0 on Saturday to snap the Royals’ six-game winning streak.

Maybin hit a leadoff homer in the first inning, Pujols had a two-run shot in the fifth and Valbuena added a three-run homer in the seventh.

Meyer (3-3) pitched the best game of his young career, allowing two hits and a walk while striking out nine.

Rookie right-hander Jake Junis (2-1) got the first loss of his career, surrendering five runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. He did not walk a batter and struck out six.

The Royals had at least 10 hits in each of their last four games, but Meyer and relievers Blake Parker, Cam Bedrosian and Yusmeiro Petit combined to shut them down.

Pujols’ 602nd career homer gave him 1,865 career RBI, moving past Mel Ott into 10th place on baseball’s career list. It was Pujols’ 11th home run of the season.

ANGELIC BULLPEN

With Bedrosian back and the anticipated return of Huston Street on Tuesday, the Angels bullpen is approaching good health. A myriad of relievers have performed in their place. The Angels bullpen is fourth in the majors in wins (14), seventh in strikeouts and eighth in ERA (3.62).

“These guys have really been holding up well,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: RHP Matt Shoemaker (forearm tightness) was placed on the 10-day disabled list, though no starter has been named for his next turn in the rotation Tuesday. RHP Parker Bridwell was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake to take his roster spot. … Bedrosian (groin) was also activated from the DL and RHP Daniel Wright returned to Salt Lake. Bedrosian last pitched April 21. … OF Mike Trout (thumb surgery) is expected to start holding a bat next week.

UP NEXT

Royals: LHP Jason Vargas (9-3) will take the majors’ second-lowest ERA (2.10) into Sunday’s series finale against the Angels. He has held opponents to two or fewer runs in 10 of his 13 previous starts.

Angels: RHP JC Ramirez (6-4) is scheduled to make his 13th start of the season. Ramirez, a career reliever until four games into this season, threw a career-high 111 pitches in his last outing.

— Associated Press —

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — A trip to California was all the Kansas City Royals needed to get their offense in gear.

Lorenzo Cain and Alex Gordon hit solo home runs and the Royals picked up their fifth consecutive victory, beating the Los Angeles Angels 7-2 on Thursday night.

The Royals have now scored at least seven runs in each of their last five games, marking only the third such streak in franchise history. The feat was previously accomplished May 25-June 1, 1978 and Aug. 9-12 1979.

The streaking Royals have been getting it done with power, clubbing 14 homers in this unbeaten stretch that began at San Diego, continued in San Francisco and has carried back down to Orange County.

“The offense is just rolling right now,” Gordon said. “It started in San Diego. As an offense, it kind of clicks, and everyone just, you know, tags along.”

Cain hit a line drive that barely cleared the wall in left center in the third inning, and Gordon followed it up with a shot to center in the fourth, his third of the year.

For Gordon, who went 3 for 5 and came up a triple shy of hitting for the cycle, it was especially gratifying. He arrived in California hitting .174, but is 8 for 22 on the trip.

“You try to keep your head up,” Gordon said. “Obviously, you are going to go through struggles in baseball sometimes, and just try to find a way out of it. Hopefully it will keep coming.”

That was more than enough support for Matt Strahm (2-3), who won his first career start after making 41 appearances as a reliever over the past two seasons. Strahm went five innings, striking out three while giving up three hits and one walk.

“It’s the first time we’ve seen him in the windup this year, but he commanded his pitches well,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.

Ricky Nolasco (2-8) dropped his sixth straight start, giving up five runs and 10 hits in six innings, while the Angels failed to pick up their first three-game winning streak since Mike Trout’s thumb injury.

Kole Calhoun put the Angels ahead 1-0 in the first, scoring an unearned run when Albert Pujols singled to right after initially reaching second on Gordon’s error, but the Royals responded with two runs in the second after a throwing error by Calhoun.

Danny Espinosa of the Angels lost a home run in the fifth when the video replay showed his shot into the corner in left had curled out of play.

The Angels did finally notch their second run an inning later when Yunel Escobar picked up an RBI, only for the Royals to respond with three in the seventh. Mike Moustakas had two RBI, giving him 16 in 13 games this month.

Moustakas’ eruption is indicative of a team-wide trend. The Royals have scored 42 runs in their last five games.

EASY ADJUSTMENT

Considering Strahm’s last start happened in Double-A last July, the second-year left-hander had no apparent issues transitioning from reliever to the first pitcher up.

“I don’t ever feel like I conserve anything,” Strahm said. “Competing every pitch and just try to be as effective as possible with every pitch.”

The plan was to have Strahm throw between 65 and 70 pitches, and he finished at 68. Pitching coach Dave Eiland wanted to have Strahm get up to throw four times, but Yost felt confident in letting him get back up for the fifth.

“Now, hopefully 85 pitches next time,” Strahm said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: DH Brandon Moss was back in the starting lineup after being limited to three at-bats as a pinch-hitter during interleague play at San Diego and San Francisco. Moss went 1 for 5.

Angels: RHP Matt Shoemaker’s status for his next scheduled start is uncertain after leaving Wednesday’s game against the Yankees with tightness in his forearm. “Historically, he has had these before and they seem like they go away in fairly short order,” manager Mike Scioscia said. “How many days that is remains to be seen.” . Scioscia believes RHP Cam Bedrosian (groin) is “very close” to returning. Bedrosian pitched 2/3 of an inning in a rehab assignment with the Angels’ Single-A affiliate Thursday.

SIGNED, SEALED, STARTING SOON

The Angels have signed first-round draft pick Jordon Adell and the No. 10 overall selection will report to the club’s rookie ball affiliate in Arizona next Wednesday.

“For me, it was a no-brainer,” Adell said. “This organization believed in me and it was easy. I didn’t want to waste any time. I wanted to get right to work.”

Adell led the nation with 25 home runs last season for Ballard High School in Louisville, Kentucky.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy (0-6) has given up at least four runs in each of his last six starts. The Huntington Beach native and former USC star is unlikely to find any home-cooking against the Angels, with an 0-4 record in six career starts.

Angels: RHP Jesse Chavez (5-6) has allowed a home run in 11 straight appearances to set a franchise record. Chavez dropped his only previous start against the Royals in 2015.

— Associated Press —

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Royals slugger Mike Moustakas didn’t care to get caught up in a debate concerning whether or not his latest home run landed in the waters of McCovey Cove.

With Kansas City finally finding a comfortable groove after a rocky start to the season, Moustakas is thinking big picture.

Moustakas hit his 18th home run leading off the second inning, Jorge Bonifacio and Lorenzo Cain followed with back-to-back shots in the third and the Royals beat the San Francisco Giants 7-2 on Wednesday to complete a two-game sweep.

The win was Kansas City’s fourth straight and left the Royals at 30-34 — not bad for a ballclub that was nine games under .500 one month into the season.

“We’re trending in the right direction,” Moustakas said. “We’ve been playing great baseball on this road trip and if we keep this going we’re going to be in a good spot after the end of this month.”

Moustakas, one of Kansas City’s top hitters over the past two weeks, stayed hot with his home run off former Royals pitcher Johnny Cueto (5-6) that initially appeared to land in McCovey Cove. Officials later determined that the ball landed on a walkway and bounced into the water.

It was the fifth homer in 12 games for Moustakas, who is already just four shy of his career-high.

“It’s all good, a homer’s a homer,” Moustakas said.

Bonifacio finished with two hits and three RBI, Whit Merrifield added three hits and three runs while Alcides Escobar singled three times to help Jason Hammel end an eight-game winless stretch on the road that dated to 2016.

Hammel (3-6) allowed one run over 6 2/3 innings to beat the Giants for the first time in 12 starts. The right-hander gave up eight hits, struck out four and walked one.

“He commanded the ball really well, he changed speeds, he used his slider effectively, got some big swings and misses,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “His last couple of starts, he’s really come on for us.”

Bonifacio homered in the third after Merrifield opened the inning with a bunt single. Two pitches later, Cain lined an 0-1 pitch over the fence in left-center that put the Royals up 4-0.

Cueto struggled in his first appearance against his former team since signing with San Francisco after helping Kansas City to the 2015 World Series. He allowed five runs and 10 hits over 5 2/3 innings with three walks and five strikeouts.

Kansas City has scored seven or more runs in each of its last four games, all wins.

Eduardo Nunez had two hits and an RBI for San Francisco. The Giants have lost 11 of 15.

San Francisco had two on and two outs twice but failed to score each time. Hammel fanned Brandon Crawford to end the fourth and reliever Peter Moylan got Buster Posey to ground out to end the seventh.

“The way we’re swinging, it’s a steep climb,” San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. “This is humbling to go through something like this. It’s a tough time for these fellows.”

WALKED OFF

Brandon Belt’s walk in the seventh inning was the first free pass issued by Hammel since May 29. It also was the last batter the right-hander faced, as Yost came scurrying out of the dugout to replace him with Moylan. Hammel hardly resisted. “I don’t ever want to say I was getting tired but that inning the pitches were up,” he said. “Probably the right move there.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Giants: 2B Joe Panik returned to the lineup after being sidelined for four games with a sprained left thumb he injured last week in Milwaukee diving for a ground ball. He went 2 for 4.

UP NEXT

Royals: LHP Matt Strahm (1-3, 4.05) makes his first career start Thursday in Anaheim against the Angels. Strahm has made 20 appearances out of the bullpen this season.

Giants: LHP Matt Moore (2-7, 5.28) faces the Rockies for the third time this season when the teams play at Colorado in the opener of a four-game series Thursday. Moore is winless in his previous five starts.

— Associated Press —

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Alcides Escobar hit a two-run double as part of a six-run sixth inning and the Kansas City Royals beat the San Francisco Giants 8-1 on Tuesday night.

Jorge Bonifacio drove in three runs and snapped an 0-for-13 drought, Alex Gordon added two hits and two runs, while Whit Merrifield had a bases-loaded triple to help Kansas City to a win in its first appearance at AT&T Park since the 2014 World Series.

Jason Vargas (9-3) allowed one run over seven innings to outpitch Ty Blach in a battle of left-handers. Vargas gave up five hits with six strikeouts and one walk for his fourth straight win overall and second against the Giants this season.

Buster Posey had two hits and scored San Francisco’s run. The Giants have lost 10 of 14.

Escobar, whose leadoff single in the third sparked a two-run rally, broke the game open with a bases-loaded double off Blach (4-4) in the sixth. After Gordon was intentionally walked and Vargas struck out, Merrifield lofted a fly ball that landed past sliding right fielder Hunter Pence near the foul line to put the Royals up 7-1. Bonifacio followed with an RBI single.

That was more than enough for Vargas, who pitched seven scoreless innings to beat the Giants in Kansas City on April 19.

Coming off its best offensive game of the season two days earlier, San Francisco struggled against Vargas and reliever Travis Wood. The Giants were limited to five hits and scored their only run on a sacrifice fly after Posey doubled leading off the second.

Blach allowed seven runs and 10 hits over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked one.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (right oblique strain) threw 20 pitches in a bullpen session Monday and came out of it with no lingering pain. Duffy has been out since May 29.

Giants: With a left-hander pitching, 2B Joe Panik was given an additional day off to rest his sprained left thumb. Aaron Hill started in Panik’s place.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Jason Hammel (2-6, 5.43) pitches in the finale of this two-game series. Hammel is winless in his previous eight road starts dating to 2016.

Giants: RHP Johnny Cueto (5-5, 4.33) faces his former team for the first time since signing with San Francisco after helping Kansas City to the 2015 World Series.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY — In 2011, Nick Pratto hit a two-out, walk-off single to center to propel Huntington Beach, Calif., to a victory over Japan in the Little League World Series championship game. On Monday night, the Royals selected Pratto with their first-round pick (No. 14 overall) in the 2017 Draft.

“Words can’t really describe it,” Pratto said. “There’s a weird feeling going through my body.”

The former Little League hero is now a 6-foot-1, 193-pound first baseman. Pratto hit .318 with seven home runs and 19 RBIs in his senior season at Huntington Beach High School, and MLB Pipeline.com ranked him as the No. 13 prospect in the Draft. He was rated as the best high school hitter in the Draft, according to Baseball America.

The Royals also selected catcher MJ Melendez with the No. 52 overall pick in the second round.

Royals general manager Dayton Moore said he doesn’t see a comparison to Kansas City first baseman Eric Hosmer, but that Pratto is a plus defender at first base. Moore also said Pratto can play the outfield.

“I know there were teams that were looking at him as an outfielder,” Moore said. “He’s an elite defender.”
Added Moore: “He’s a guy who can use all of the field as a hitter. He’s got power that we believe will develop. He has the ability to hit the ball out of the ballpark. He’s a proven winner.”

Pratto said he learned to settle his emotions at that Little League World Series, where his single came on a 2-0 pitch with the bases loaded. Since then, he has developed into what MLB Pipeline called “perhaps the best pure high school bat in the country.”

To watch the Draft, Pratto was surrounded by over 100 family and friends, many of whom knew him when he hit the walk-off winner. As Commissioner Rob Manfred announced his name, Pratto raised both hands, much like he did after that walk-off hit six years ago. To be drafted, Pratto said, is a similar feeling to hitting his championship-winning single. Smiling, he hugged his parents.
Said Pratto, “This is a surreal moment.”

— By Wilson Alexander / MLB.com —

SAN DIEGO (AP) — After his team hit five home runs on Saturday, Mike Moustakas was ready to keep the power surge going Sunday.

Moustakas hit two home runs and Jake Junis pitched seven-plus solid innings to help the Kansas City Royals beat the San Diego Padres 8-3.

Alex Gordon and Eric Hosmer also homered for the Royals.

“The offense gave us a big lead and Junis pitched on the attack,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “He executed pitches and had a really, really good slider. He held the fort for us.”

Facing rookie Dinelson Lamet (2-2) Moustakas hit a three-run home run in the first that gave the Royals an early 4-0 advantage, and a solo homer in the eighth, his 17th this season.

“I saw it out of the hand and knew it was up and I tried to put a good swing on it, and it ended up carrying out of the yard,” Moustakas said. “It definitely wasn’t something that I was looking for, but when I saw it up I put some good wood on it.”

Gordon homered in the fourth, a solo shot, and Hosmer added a two-run homer in the fifth to put Kansas City on top 7-1.

“He’s really locked in,” Yost said of Moustakas. “He is really putting together a great season this year power-wise. He is really seeing the ball well and driving the ball to all fields with power.”

Junis (2-0), who lasted three and two-thirds innings in his previous start, allowed three runs, all on solo homers, on six hits over a career-best seven-plus innings. He struck out six and walked one.

“I felt like my off-speed was a little sharper today, and I was locating my fastball better than in previous outings,” Junis said. “I was getting ahead and staying ahead.”

Scott Alexander contributed two scoreless innings for Kansas City.

“Our bullpen has been used a lot,” Moustakas said. “For (Junis) to come out and do what he did was unbelievable. We needed that big. He saved our bullpen.”

Cory Spangenberg hit two solo home runs and Jose Pirela homered to chase Junis from the game in the eighth. Spangenberg recorded his second career two-homerun game for the Padres, who have lost seven of eight.

Lamet struggled for a second straight start after dominating in his first two. He gave up seven runs on six hits in five innings, while striking out six and walking one.

“I think more than anything today it was Lamet struggled with command,” Padres manager Andy Green said. “That’s gonna get you as long as the inning progresses.”

Phil Maton made his major league debut for San Diego on the same day he was recalled from Triple-A El Paso with a scoreless eighth.

“Going in the game just didn’t even seem real, just didn’t want to hit the first guy, that’s about the only thing that was going through my mind,” Maton said. “Once I got that first pitch out of the way everything was okay.”

QUOTABLE:

“I’m still missing mistakes; this game is hard. I just try to come in and try to figure out how to get hits every day.” Moustakas said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Padres: OF Manuel Margot continues his recovery from a calf injury and was running in the outfield prior to Sunday’s game. Margot will likely require a rehab assignment before returning.

Royals: C Salvador Perez left the game with left-side tightness in his rib cage area. Perez is expected to start Tuesday in San Francisco.

UP NEXT:

Padres: RHP Luis Perdomo (0-3, 3.50) will make the start for San Diego on Monday, looking to rebound from his last time out in which he gave up five runs in four innings at Arizona. Perdomo opposes RHP Bronson Arroyo of the Cincinnati Reds.

Royals: LHP Jason Vargas (8-3, 2.18) takes the mound at San Francisco on Tuesday. Vargas has won three straight starts and faces Giants LHP Ty Blach.

— Associated Press —

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Kansas City Royals stars Eric Hosmer and Salvador Perez would welcome more games in San Diego, even though Petco Park is a spacious place for sluggers.

Hosmer and Perez hit home runs as part of a nine-run eighth inning that also included Lorenzo Cain’s grand slam, sending the Royals to a 12-6 victory Saturday over the San Diego Padres.

Cain homered twice, and Alcides Escobar hit his first home run of the year as the Royals hit five home runs for the first time since July 23, 2003, at Minnesota.

At the All-Star Game last year in San Diego, Hosmer and Perez homered in the first inning. Hosmer took away the game’s MVP award.

Hosmer homered in his return to Petco in March for the World Baseball Classic and struck again Saturday with a two-run, tying shot off San Diego’s best reliever, Brad Hand (1-4).

“I’ve had some great moments here,” Hosmer said. “Don’t know what the cause of that is, but I definitely enjoy it when this San Diego trip is on the schedule.”

Hosmer said Cain set him up against Hand by opening the eighth with a single off the lefty.

At the time, the Royals trailed 5-3.

Hosmer, the next hitter, said he sought a fastball from Hand because “he’s really pitched off that slider all year well.”

With the speedy Cain on first base, the lefty Hosmer hit a 1-0 fastball over the left-field wall.

The ball landed in the seats near where he drove the All-Star Game home run, off former Royals teammate Johnny Cueto.

“That’s the benefit of hitting behind `Lo’ Cain,” Hosmer said. “Any time he gets on first, he’s a baserunning threat to steal as well. So after the first slider, I knew there was a good chance I might get a fastball. It might be the only one I got, so I just wanted to make sure I was on time and not miss it.”

Perez followed with a home run, the 100th of his career. Noting the wear and tear a catcher takes, Hosmer called the total “really impressive.”

Counting the 2016 All-Star Game, Perez has homered in his past three games at Petco.

Cain capped Kansas City’s highest-scoring inning since a 10-run first against the Cleveland Indians on Aug. 23, 2006, hitting his slam off a 97-mph fastball from Jose Valdez.

“Two-seamer, inside,” Cain said. “I pulled my hands inside and the ball ended up getting out for me. It was huge.”

The grand slam was Kanas City’s first this season and Cain’s second of his career. Cain also hit a solo shot in the sixth, and has six home runs this season.

Travis Wood (1-2) won in relief.

Royals starter Ian Kennedy gave up a leadoff homer to Jose Pirela and allowed four runs in six innings. Kennedy is winless in 15 starts dating to last Sept. 11.

Pirela bounced a two-run double over third baseman Mike Moustakas during a three-run fifth that made it 4-1.

Miguel Diaz made his first major league start after 21 relief appearances. The rookie didn’t get an out in the third inning, leaving with the bases loaded and none out.

Padres manager Andy Green said Diaz “was probably a little bit over-amped, starting for the first time, not throttling himself a little bit so he could get a little bit deeper into the ballgame.”

Reliever Craig Stammen bailed him out, striking out Jorge Bonifacio and getting a double-play grounder from Cain that kept the Padres ahead 1-0.

Escobar’s drive, off Stammen, made it 1-all in the fifth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Padres: 1B Wil Myers was scratched from the lineup because of illness. His replacement at first, Pirela, who was in the original lineup at third base, had a throwing error in the first inning.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Jakob Junis (1-0, 7.84) is coming off a no-decision against Houston in which he allowed seven runs (four earned) in 3 2/3 innings.

Padres: RHP Dinelson Lamet (2-0, 6.92) is limiting right-handers to a .176 batting average, while lefties are hitting .286 against him.

— Associated Press —

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Pinch-hitter Matt Szczur hit a go-ahead home run in the seventh inning and the San Diego Padres beat the Kansas City Royals 6-3 on Friday night to snap a five-game losing streak.

Szczur was pinch-hitting for starter Jhoulys Chacin (5-5), who had given up a tying two-run homer to Salvador Perez in the fifth.

Szczur’s second homer came off rookie lefty Matt Strahm (1-3) and gave San Diego a 3-2 lead.

Rookie Franchy Cordero hit a two-run double in the eighth off reliever Chris Young, a former Padres starter, and Yangervis Solarte followed with an RBI single.

Chacin allowed two runs and three hits in seven innings, struck out two and walked two. Brandon Maurer came on with runners on first and second and no outs in the ninth and gave up Mike Moustakas’ sacrifice fly before getting Alcides Escobar to hit into a double play to earn his 10th save.

Royals starter Eric Skoglund lasted only 1 1/3 innings, allowing two runs and seven hits.

Chacin held the Royals hitless until Eric Hosmer singled to right leading off the fifth. Perez followed with a homer into the second deck in left. It was his 94th as a catcher, breaking Mike Macfarlane’s club record. Overall, Perez has 99 homers, including 12 this year.

Perez also hit a two-run homer in the All-Star Game at Petco Park on July 12. Hosmer homered in that game as well and was named MVP.

Chacin helped his cause when he doubled in Erick Aybar in the second to make it 2-0. Aybar was aboard on a double off Skoglund. Chacin advanced to third and was picked off.

Austin Hedges hit an RBI single in the first.

Before the game, the Padres optioned third baseman Ryan Schimpf to Triple-A El Paso and recalled right-hander Jose Valdez. Schimpf was hitting just .158 but had a team-high 14 homers among his 26 hits.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Padres: RHP Jered Weaver, on the disabled list with an inflamed left hip, threw a bullpen session. Manager Andy Green said the team will decide Saturday whether Weaver will throw another bullpen session or go on a rehab assignment.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy (0-6, 5.33) is winless in his last 14 starts since his last win on Sept. 11. He pitched for San Diego from 2013-16.

Padres: Rookie RHP Miguel Diaz (1-1, 7.50) is scheduled to make his first career start. He’s made 21 relief appearances.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Lance McCullers took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and Jose Altuve hit a two-run homer in a five-run ninth as the Houston Astros beat the Kansas City Royals 6-1 on Thursday night.

Altuve’s ninth home run came off Kelvin Herrera (1-2) with Josh Reddick, who walked on four pitches to lead off the inning, aboard. Herrera has yielded seven home runs in 24 1/3 innings after giving up only six in 72 innings last season.

Herrera retired only one of the five batters he faced and was charged with four runs, three hits and a walk. The inning also included a two-run single by Jake Marisnick.

Lorenzo Cain’s one-out triple in the seventh ended McCuller’s no-hit bid. Cain drilled a 3-0 pitch to center. He scored on Mike Moustakas’ two-out single to tie the score.

McCullers walked Jorge Bonifacio with one out in the first, and Alcides Escobar in the sixth for the only base runners the Royals had before Cain’s triple.

Will Harris (2-1) got the win, allowing one hit in one inning.

Royals starter Jason Hammel allowed one run and four hits over seven innings. He walked none and struck out four.

The only run off Hammel came on a balk in the sixth inning. Nori Aoki hit a ground ball single to left to lead off the inning and went to third on George Springer’s single. Hammel made a move to throw to first and the ball slipped out of his glove.

McCullers was removed after seven innings, permitting one run and two hits, while striking out eight and walking two.

ROYALS CHANGE GAME TIME

The Royals’ game on Sept. 12 against the White Sox has been changed from a 7:15 p.m CDT start to 12:15 p.m. This is to accommodate a U2 concert, which will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Arrowhead Stadium, which is across the parking lot from Kauffman Stadium.

ASTROS PROMOTE MARTES

RHP Francis Martes was scratched from his Wednesday Triple-A Fresno start and told to join the Astros Thursday in Kansas City. This is Martes’ first time on a big league roster. Martes, the No. 1 ranked prospect in the organization, was 0-2 with a 5.29 ERA with Fresno.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: RHP Joe Musgrove (shoulder discomfort) threw a bullpen Thursday and could come off the DL and start Monday against Texas. “The way my body felt was very good, no aches, no pains, nothing,” Musgrove said. “I felt like I was able to move freely. On top of that, I felt like I had very good command. I felt sharp. I felt like I picked up where I left off.”

Royals: All-Star C Salvador Perez (sprained left thumb) was not in the lineup getting injured in the eighth inning Wednesday. Manager Ned Yost said Perez was available and would start Friday at San Diego.

UP NEXT

Astros: RHP Brad Peacock, who has struck out at least eight in his past three outings, will start the opener of a home series against the Angels.

Royals: LHP Eric Skoglund will make his third big league start in the first game of a weekend series at San Diego.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jason Vargas tossed five solid innings for his eighth victory, Cheslor Cuthbert drove in three runs and the Kansas City Royals defeated the Houston Astros 7-5 on Wednesday night.

The anticipated pitching duel between Vargas (8-3) and Dallas Keuchel, who have the two best ERAs in the majors, never materialized. Keuchel was a late scratch with an illness after going out to warm up.

Instead, the Astros started right-hander Dayan Diaz, who was just called up from Triple-A Fresno. Diaz (0-1) gave up three runs and four hits, including Lorenzo Cain’s solo homer, in 2 2/3 innings.

Vargas (8-3), who pitched a shutout against Cleveland in his previous start, allowed two runs on Brian McCann’s home run and RBI single. He gave up six hits, a walk and hit a batter. Vargas’ ERA inched up from 2.08 to 2.18 in the win, the Royals’ second straight over the Astros.

— Associated Press —