ST. LOUIS (AP) — Alcides Escobar hit a go-ahead RBI double just inside the right-field line in the 12th inning and the Kansas City Royals outlasted the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 on Wednesday night.

Escobar drove in the first run of the game with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the eighth. His fly to shallow right off Seth Maness (0-2) fell just in front of Stephen Piscotty, whose homer leading off the 10th tied it at 2.

Chien-Ming Wang (5-0) worked two scoreless innings for Kansas City, which survived blown saves by Wade Davis and Joakim Soria, stranded 19 runners and used all of its bench players. The Royals are 39-50 in the I-70 interleague series but 14-12 at 11-year-old Busch Stadium.

Whit Merrifield put Kansas City ahead in the 10th when a potential double-play grounder was booted by second baseman Matt Carpenter and Merrifield got an RBI. He also doubled with one out in the 12th.

Jhonny Peralta’s two-out single tied it at 1 in the ninth against Davis, the second blown save in 20 chances for the Royals closer.

Edinson Volquez worked 6 2-3 innings of six-hit ball in a strong bounce-back effort for Kansas City. He gave up 11 earned runs in one inning his last start.

Carlos Martinez allowed eight hits in six-plus scoreless innings for St. Louis, just 15-22 at home. The three-time defending NL Central champions were 55-26 at home last season.

Martinez has allowed two earned runs in 28 1-3 innings in his last four starts.

NICE D

Kendrys Morales made his first start in the outfield since 2008 a non-issue, tracking down Carpenter’s drive to the wall in right field in the third. Plus, he had three hits.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: CF Lorenzo Cain (left hamstring) was placed on the 15-day DL. The team is optimistic he’ll back right after the All-Star break.

Cardinals: SS Aledmys Diaz (right eye) was the lone bench player not used. He’s missed two games but could be back soon after getting a positive checkup from the team ophthalmologist.

UP NEXT

Royals: Chris Young (2-7, 6.54) is coming off his shortest start since Sept. 1, 2014, allowing seven runs in 2 1-3 innings in a loss to Houston. He’s given up a major league-high 21 homers, with at least one in all 11 starts plus he’s 0-5 with a 9.70 ERA in five road starts.

Cardinals: Mike Leake (5-5, 4.25) lasted just 3 1-3 innings his last start, allowing five runs at Seattle. He’s 16-7 with a 3.49 ERA in 38 June starts.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ian Kennedy knew Kansas City needed a long outing, and he delivered.

Kennedy struck out 11 over seven innings, Kendrys Morales hit two home runs and the Royals snapped the Houston Astros’ seven-game winning streak with a 6-1 victory Sunday.

After Royals starters Edinson Volquez and Chris Young were roughed up in blowout losses in the first two games of this series, lasting a total of 3 1/3 innings, Kennedy allowed one run and three hits with one walk.

“Last night I passed him after the game and he said, `You need for me to go nine?” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “I said, `No, just give me a strong seven.’ And that’s exactly what he did. That’s a real good hitting team over there and to hold them to three hits, seven strong innings, he just pitched tremendous and gave us an opportunity to let things sort out in that bullpen.”

Kennedy (6-6) struck out his final four batters and finished one shy of matching his career best in strikeouts.

“Every time out you try to do that,” Kennedy said. “It doesn’t happen every time, obviously, unless you’re (Clayton) Kershaw or guys like him that just go out and punch everybody else out and go seven or eight innings every single time.

“That’s kind of what pitching is, make everything look like a fastball. My curveball today was better than it has been. I was staying on top of it. It was a little bit better than normal. I was just throwing fastball, curveball for the most part of the game. My slider when I needed it was down and had some good break. I threw it in some good counts.”

Morales connected for a solo drive in the fourth and seventh. Cheslor Cuthbert hit a two-run shot against Doug Fister (8-4) during Kansas City’s five-run seventh.

“It really happened fast,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “It takes a little bit away from how good Doug was for most of the game and leaves a bad taste in his mouth, I’m sure.”

Lorenzo Cain had three of the Royals’ 13 hits.

Fister, who was 7-0 in his previous 10 starts, lost for the first time since April 25. He gave up four runs and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings, including three home runs.

“In a big league ballgame, most times it comes down to two or three pitches,” Fister said. “Ian made those pitches today. I didn’t.”

Evan Gattis hit a leadoff homer in the sixth for Houston.

Astros star Jose Altuve singled in the fourth to extend his streak of reaching base safely to 29 straight games, matching his career high set last year and the longest active streak in the majors.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Kris Medlen, who is on the disabled list with rotator cuff inflammation, threw 4 2/3 innings for Triple-A Omaha on Saturday, allowing an unearned run and two hits. “He’s probably not ready,” Yost said. “He’s throwing the ball good. We need to get him built up, need to get him some consistency. He really took a good step yesterday in terms of his command. But, as to need, we’ve got him slated for more (rehab) starts.”

UP NEXT

Astros: RHP Collin McHugh, who starts Monday at Los Angeles, is 4-2 with 2.82 ERA in eight career starts against the Angels.

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy, who starts Monday against the Cardinals, is 3-3 with a 3.10 ERA in 13 appearances against National League clubs. St. Louis will counter with RHP Adam Wainwright.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jose Altuve went 4 for 5, including a home run and two doubles, and the Houston Astros extended their winning streak to seven with a 13-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.

Altuve drove in three runs and scored three runs. He is hitting .417 with a .484 on-base percentage while reaching base in 27 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the major leagues.

Marwin Gonzalez, Altuve and Carlos Correa, the Astros’ two-three-four hitters, combined to go 8 for 15 with seven RBI, six runs and two homers. Altuve and Correa hit consecutive homers in a seven-run second.

Houston has won 22 of 30 to move a season-best three games above .500 (39-36). The Astros are on their longest winning streak since taking 10 in a row from June 14-23 last year.

Kansas City catcher Drew Butera took the mound to get the final three outs of the ninth, his fourth big league pitching appearance and the first by a Royals position player since outfielder Mitch Maier against Cleveland on April 15, 2012. Butera gave up Jason Castro’s RBI double, retired George Springer on a foulout, struck out Marwin Gonzalez on a 91 mph offering and got Danny Worth on a groundout.

Michael Feliz (5-1) won despite allowing two runs and three hits in 1 2/3 innings. Astros starter Mike Fiers, staked to a 9-1 lead in the fourth, was removed after 4 1/3 innings. He gave up three runs, nine hits and three walks and also a hit batter.

Chris Young (2-7) yielded seven runs, seven hits and four walks in 2 1/3 innings, raising his ERA to 6.54. He has allowed a major league-leading 21 homers in 53 2/3 innings — including at least one homer in all 11 starts.

Combined with Edinson Volquez’s poor outing Friday, Royals starters allowed 18 earned runs in 3 1/3 innings over two nights, a 48.60 ERA.

A.J. Reed, the Astros top position player prospect, walked twice, scored two runs and had a sacrifice fly in his big league debut.

Alex Gordon, who missed 30 games with a broken right wrist, returned to the Kansas City lineup with a home run and double.

Lorenzo Cain, Kendrys Morales and Cheslor Cuthbert each had two hits and drove in a run for the Royals, who have lost four straight.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: Valbuena, who exited the game Friday in the second inning with lower back tightness, was back in the lineup and doubled twice.

Royals: Rookie OF Brett Eibner, who hit .297 with a .514 slugging percentage in 11 games, was optioned to Triple-A Omaha. . RHP Kris Medlen (rotator cuff inflammation) gave up one unearned run and two hits in 4 2/3 innings in a rehab start Saturday for Triple-A Omaha at Nashville. He struck out five and walked one.

UP NEXT

RHP Doug Fister (8-3), Houston’s scheduled starter Sunday, allowed six runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings in an April 14 loss to the Royals. Kansas City starter Ian Kennedy (5-6) has given up 10 home runs in his first four June starts.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — George Springer was more than just a tablesetter as the Houston Astros’ leadoff hitter.

Springer hit a grand slam and a triple in Houston’s nine-run first inning against Edinson Volquez, and the Astros routed the Kansas City Royals 13-4 on Friday night. Springer, who finished with five RBI, tops the majors with three grand slams this season.

“That’s not really something you’re really thinking about,” Springer said of his grand slam and triple in the Astros’ big first. “I was just hoping we could come out of here with a good win to start off the trip.”

Colby Rasmus had four hits, including a homer in the eighth, scored three runs and drove in two. Marwin Gonzalez, Carlos Gomez, Jason Castro and Rasmus all had RBI singles in the first off Volquez (7-7), who retired only three of the 15 batters he faced with 12 scoring, ballooning his ERA more than a full run to 5.15.

He gave up 12 runs, 11 earned, and eight hits and walked three. Rasmus scored the other run on Alcides Escobar’s error.

“The whole story of the game is the first couple of innings and the quality of at-bats we put up,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “We did a lot of things right that first inning and took advantage of a mistake, a lot of singles and a big hit by George obviously to separate the game. We did a good job of tacking on run after run after run.”

The last time the Astros scored nine in the first inning was July 10, 2003, against Cincinnati. The Royals last allowed nine or more in the first on Sept. 23, 2006, when Detroit scored 10.

The huge lead made it easy for Dallas Keuchel, the 2015 American League Cy Young Award winner, to pick up only his second victory since April 15 and first since May 28.

“I’ll take it,” Keuchel said. “I’m not complaining. My job was to go out there and fill up the zone. I’m not very happy with the stat line, but that game calls for that type of scenario, which is exactly what I did.”

Keuchel (4-9) gave up four runs and 11 hits, including home runs to Escobar and Cheslor Cuthbert. Escobar’s homer was his first since Aug. 21.

Volquez was removed in the second when he walked Carlos Correa and Gomez, sandwiched around Rasmus’ single to load the bases without getting an out. All three wound up scoring off reliever Dillon Gee, but the runs were charged to Volquez.

“He just wasn’t very good,” Royals manager Ned Yost said of Volquez. “He gave up the triple, I’m thinking, `OK, give up the one run and we’ll be all right’ and then, boom, next thing it’s three, then it’s five, then it’s nine. So, it was just one of those nights where really nothing was working for him.”

ASTROS PROMOTE REED

After the game, Hinch said the Astros are bringing up 1B A.J. Reed, one of the team’s top prospects, from Triple-A Fresno, where he has hit .372 in his past 10 games to raise his average to .266 with 11 home runs. Hinch said Reed would DH Saturday. They optioned OF Tony Kemp to Fresno.

MONDESI RETURNING

IF Raul Mondesi, who became the first player to make his major league debut in the World Series when he struck out as a pinch hitter in Game 3 at Citi Field, will begin a rehab assignment Saturday with Single-A Wilmington. Mondesi, the Royals’ top prospect, was suspended 50 games on May 10 after testing positive for Clenbuterol, a performance-enhancing drug. He is scheduled to return July 4 to Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: 3B Luis Valbuena left after one inning with left lower back tightness.

Royals: LF Alex Gordon (broken right wrist) played in his fifth rehab game Friday with Triple-A Omaha and is close to coming off the disabled list. “Alex is doing fine,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “We’ll re-evaluate after tonight. We’ll be anxious to get him back.”

UP NEXT

Astros: RHP Mike Fiers (5-3) is 0-2 with a 7.36 ERA in two career starts against the Royals.

Royals: RHP Chris Young (2-6) leads the majors with 19 home runs allowed.

— Associated Press —

NEW YORK (AP) — Bartolo Colon’s early injury put the New York Mets in a major bind, but they won a battle of bullpens against the best relief corps in baseball and defeated the Kansas City Royals 2-1 on Tuesday night in a World Series rematch.

Yoenis Cespedes hit his 18th home run and Asdrubal Cabrera also connected for New York, which had lost three straight and six of eight.

Held to one hit and no other baserunners Sunday as lowly Atlanta capped a sweep at Citi Field, the Mets again had trouble generating offense. This time, however, a gritty Hansel Robles (1-3) and four other relievers bailed them out by combining for 8 2/3 stellar innings in the opener of a two-game set.

The Royals were back at Citi Field for the first time since clinching their World Series title last November with a late rally in Game 5. Still, manager Ned Yost insisted the trip was no sunny stroll down memory lane. The teams split a two-game series in Kansas City to open the regular season.

“Just another series,” Yost said before the game. “I don’t know if it’s weird or not. I mean, it was a great accomplishment, but it’s kind of in the rearview mirror in the middle of the season now.”

Hours earlier, the Mets announced a tweak to their pitching rotation. Colon was bumped up a day to start on regular rest, and Noah Syndergaard was pushed back one day to Wednesday afternoon.

But after only four pitches by the 43-year-old Colon, the defending NL champions were scrambling.

Royals leadoff batter Whit Merrifield hit a line drive that barely glanced off the pitcher’s glove and struck him hard on his right thumb.

The ball deflected to second baseman Neil Walker, who threw to first for an out. In the meantime, Colon shook his pitching hand in obvious pain and bent over at the waist as manager Terry Collins and trainer Ray Ramirez came rushing out of the dugout.

After a brief meeting near the mound, Colon walked off the field. Robles entered and was given all the time he needed to warm up.

X-rays on Colon’s thumb were negative, the Mets said.

Robles took over and provided yeoman’s work. After throwing 41 pitches Sunday, he threw 65 over 3 2/3 effective innings in this one and struck out six. The right-hander’s previous career highs were 52 pitches and three innings, in different games.

Robles finally tired in the fifth and gave up an RBI single to Brett Eibner with nobody out before Erik Goeddel pitched out of a jam. Goeddel tossed two scoreless innings before Jerry Blevins worked a perfect seventh and Addison Reed a 1-2-3 eighth.

Jeurys Familia struck out two in a one-hit ninth for his major league-leading 23rd save. Familia, charged with three blown saves in the World Series last year against the Royals, has converted a club-record 39 consecutive regular-season chances dating to last August — though he did blow a four-run lead in the ninth inning of a game this season.

Cabrera hit an opposite-field drive to left off Ian Kennedy (5-6) in the first, and Cespedes homered to center leading off the fourth.

ON HIS WAY OUT

Kansas City has requested unconditional release waivers on 2B Omar Infante, designated for assignment last week. If he goes unclaimed, the 34-year-old Infante would become a free agent Thursday and could sign with any team.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Three-time All-Star LF Alex Gordon (broken right wrist) could return to the lineup as early as this weekend if he keeps feeling good, Yost said. Gordon was 3 for 6 with a home run and a double in two rehab games with Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

Mets: On a busy day at Citi Field, the Mets activated Travis d’Arnaud from the disabled list. The catcher had been sidelined since April 26 with a strained right rotator cuff. He batted eighth and went 0 for 3 with a long flyout, but passed his first test on defense by throwing out Alcides Escobar trying to steal second base in the first inning. To open a roster spot for d’Arnaud, catcher Kevin Plawecki was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas. New York also put reliever Jim Henderson on the 15-day DL, retroactive to Sunday, with right biceps tendinitis and recalled LHP Sean Gilmartin from its top farm club.

UP NEXT

Syndergaard (7-2, 1.91 ERA) will start on six days’ rest Wednesday against LHP Danny Duffy (2-1, 3.17). Syndergaard has won five straight decisions. He also won 2-0 in Kansas City when the teams split two games to open the season. And of course, he earned New York’s lone World Series victory last October and rankled the Royals by firing his first pitch above Escobar’s head.

— Associated Press —-

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — While Cheslor Cuthbert delivered the game-winning hit, Chris Young said pitching six sharp innings on Father’s Day was an emotional outing for him.

Cuthbert singled home Lorenzo Cain in the 13th inning to lift the Kansas City Royals to a 2-1 win over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday.

The Royals won six of seven on their homestand and have the best home record in the American League at 25-8.

Young threw six innings, matching his longest outing of the year, holding the Tigers to three hits and one run, while walking one and striking out seven. Young is 4-0 with a 1.69 ERA in 10 career outings against the Tigers.

Young’s father Charles died last September.

“I think last year on Father’s Day was the last time he saw me pitch,” Young said. “A year later, he was certainly in my thoughts, a lot of great memories and some emotional times as well. I feel like I’m motivated every time out, but certainly a little bit of emotion on the first Father’s Day since my dad passed away.”

Salvador Perez led off the 13th with a single to right off left-hander Kyle Ryan (1-2), who was just promoted from Triple-A Toledo. Cain ran for Perez and advanced to second on Miguel Cabrera’s error on Ryan’s pickoff attempt.

After Kendrys Morales was walked intentionally walked, Paulo Orlando moved the runners with a sacrifice bunt. Ryan walked Brett Eibner intentionally to load the bases. Cuthbert hit a ground ball single to left to score Cain.

“I saw the ball going by and I took off,” Cain said.

Chien-Ming Wang (4-0) allowed one hit in 1 2/3 innings to pick up the victory.

Tigers starter Jordan Zimmermann, who threw 93 pitches in eight innings, had a three-ball count only on two batters — Cuthbert in the third and Orlando in the eighth. Zimmerman yielded one run on four hits, walked one and struck out five.

“He was very good,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. “He was throwing strikes and got them chasing pitches out of the strike zone. His pitch count was down and he was sharp. He did an excellent job. He deserved to get a `W’ really.”

Left-hander Justin Wilson replaced Zimmermann and hit speedy Jarrod Dyson with his first pitch. After Whit Merrifield popped up foul on a bunt, Wilson picked Dyson off first base and retired Alcides Escobar on a fly ball

Young threw six innings, matching his longest outing of the year, holding the Tigers to three hits and one run, while walking one and striking out seven. Young is 4-0 with a 1.69 ERA in 10 career outings against the Tigers.

Steven Moya’s first major league home run to lead off the third was Young’s only hiccup. Young has allowed 19 home runs 51 1/3 innings, but the past 14 have been with the bases empty.

Eibner’s ground out in fifth scored Morales to tie the score at 1. Morales led off the inning with a single and stopped at third on Orlando’s double to left. Eibner’s grounder to shortstop Jose Iglesias got Morales’ home.

After Young exited, Joakim Soria pitched a perfect seventh, while Kelvin Herrera struck out the side on 14 pitches in the eighth. Wade Davis walked one in a scoreless ninth.

TIGERS CALL UP TWO

The Tigers recalled RHP Bruce Rondon and Ryan from Triple-A Toledo and put them in a beleaguered bullpen, which had allowed 18 runs in 6 2/3 innings the previous two games. LHPs Matt Boyd and Blaine Hardy were sent to the minors after the 16-5 loss Saturday to the Royals. Manager Brad Ausmus said a decision has not been finalized on who will start Thursday in Boyd’s place. While Ryan took the loss Sunday, Rondon pitched two perfect innings, striking out three.

MAYBIN THUMBED

Tigers CF Cameron Maybin was ejected by plate umpire Gabe Morales in the 11th inning for debating a called third strike. Andrew Romine replaced him.

INCREDIBLE RISP

The Royals went 14 for 25 with runners in scoring position Saturday. That is their most successful with RISP since a record 17-for-25 effort on Sept. 9, 2004, at Detroit. They went 1 for 4 with RISP on Sunday.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: LF Alex Gordon (fractured right wrist) went 1 for 3 in his first rehab game Sunday with Double-A Northwest Arkansas. He doubled in his first at-bat and struck out

UP NEXT

Tigers: RHP Mike Pelfrey, who has allowed 91 hits and walked 30 in 71 1/3 innings, will start Monday against the Mariners, who will counter with RHP Nathan Karns.

Royals: They are off before a two-game series begins Tuesday at the Mets in a World Series rematch. RHP Ian Kennedy will start the first game.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kendrys Morales drove in five runs with four hits, Paulo Orlando also had four hits and the Kansas City Royals routed the Detroit Tigers 16-5 on Saturday night.

The Royals’ 21 hits and 16 runs were season highs. Whit Merrifield added three hits and four RBI, and seven Royals had at least two hits. It got so bad, Tigers utility player Andrew Romine was summoned to pitch with one out in the eighth.

Edinson Volquez (7-6) gave up two runs in the first, then retired 14 in a row during one stretch. He tired in a three-run seventh, which included Justin Upton’s two-run homer. Volquez allowed five runs on eight hits over 6 1/3 innings.

Morales tied a career high with the five RBI and also got his 200th career double in the second. Morales reached base eight straight times — three walks and five hits — over a three-game span before grounding out to end the fifth.

The Royals have won 11 of their past 12 home games and are 24-8 at Kauffman Stadium, the best home record in the American League. Merrifield has at least one hit and one run in 12 straight home games.

Tigers left-hander Matt Boyd (0-2) was lifted after 3 2/3 innings, yielding seven runs on eight hits. In his past two starts, Boyd has given up 13 runs on 15 hits in eight innings.

Orlando’s four hits were a career high.

Miguel Cabrera had two hits and a sacrifice fly, while Upton drove in three runs.

VENTURA STARTS SUSPENSION

Royals RHP Yordano Ventura had his suspension trimmed from nine to eight games and began serving it Saturday. Ventura hit Manny Machado with a pitch June 7 at Baltimore. Machado charged the mound, and that led to a benches clearing melee. Ventura can be reinstated June 28. The Royals can manage with a four-man rotation until then with two off days next week.

TIGERS PROMOTE MCGEHEE

The Tigers purchased the contract of corner IF Casey McGehee from Triple-A Toledo, where he hit .323 in 66 games. McGehee, 33, hit 23 home runs with 104 RBI in 2010 with the Brewers. He has also played for the Cubs, Pirates, Yankees, Marlins and Giants. Detroit optioned RHP Buck Farmer to the Mud Hens and designated for assignment OF Wynton Bernard.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: RHP Warwick Saupold (right groin strain) threw a 45-pitch bullpen. “It’s 100 percent,” Saupold said. “I’m looking forward to getting back out there.” … Cameron Maybin was back in center field after missing the two previous games with a sore left quad.

Royals: LF Alex Gordon (fractured right wrist) begins a minor league rehab assignment Sunday with Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

UP NEXT

Tigers: RHP Jordan Zimmermann (9-3) starts the series finale. He is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in two career starts at Kauffman Stadium.

Royals: RHP Chris Young (2-6), who has allowed 18 home runs in 45 1/3 innings, has a 4-0 career record against Detroit.

— Associated Press —