SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Edinson Volquez tuned up for his start on opening day and a Kansas City Royals split squad beat the San Diego Padres 11-3 Monday.

Volquez gave up two runs and five hits, striking out four and walking two. His next start will be Sunday night when the champion Royals host the New York Mets in a World Series rematch.

“I think I get better in spring training,” Volquez said. “Better than last year, the year before, the year before that. My ERA is better than last year. I haven’t pitched good in spring training for a long time. It doesn’t matter what happens here in spring training. I just try to move forward for the first game.”

Volquez finished with a 3.95 ERA this spring after a 6.33 in 2015 and a 9.64 in 2014.

“He threw the ball really well, good life, good command, good breaking ball,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “He’s ready to go.”

Lorenzo Cain and Whit Merrifield each homered and drove in three runs. Cain connected with Mike Moustakas aboard in the first and delivered an RBI single in the fourth. Merrifield led off the first with a homer off Drew Pomeranz and contributed a two-run double in the second. Dusty Coleman added a two-run homer in the sixth.

Derek Norris homered on Wade Davis’ first pitch in the sixth. Davis had not given up a run in his first seven outings, covering seven innings.

Pomeranz is competing for the final Padres rotation slot.

“Obviously, I’d like to have another start, not have that be my last one,” Pomeranz said.

STARTING TIME

Padres: Pomeranz surrendered two homers sandwiched around a single to the first three batters.

“I don’t think it (the wind) had much to do with it,” Pomeranz said. “The home runs they hit, they hit pretty hard. It’s a bad pitch selection I guess early on for me. After the first three guys, I kind of settled in and started making some pitches, started pitching.

“I was out there throwing to the first couple of guys. I wasn’t out there pitching yet. It’s a trap you fall into in spring training, trying to work on something, but you have to get guys out.”

Royals: Volquez, who threw 90 pitches, said he would like to take the same stuff, “maybe just a little bit better that that” into his first start.

“I would like to be more ahead in the count,” Volquez said. “So I just want to stay aggressive and attacking those hitters, get more first-pitch strikes so I don’t have to go 3-2 count all the time, like I did today to a few hitters.”

TRAINERS’S ROOM

Padres: RHP Jon Edwards (minor elbow stiffness) has not pitched since March 18. … 1B Brett Wallace (right foot injury) is running the bases but has not played in a Cactus League game since March 13.

PEORIA, Ariz. — Robinson Cano hit a drive over the giant batter’s eye in center field for his seventh spring homer, and the Seattle Mariners rallied for a 6-4 win over a Kansas City Royals split-squad on Monday.

Cano also connected three times in Seattle’s win against the Cubs on Sunday.

Nelson Cruz also homered for the Mariners, who trailed 3-0 through three innings. Cruz hit a solo drive in the fourth, and Cano went deep an inning later.

“Wow, that was a bomb,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said of Cano’s shot. “He’s feeling really good right now. Seeing the ball great. His swing’s on time and we just need to keep him right there for when we get to Arlington.”

The Mariners open the season next Monday at Texas.

The spring game featured a matchup of No. 5 starting pitchers, with Seattle’s Nathan Karns, named to the rotation by Servais before Monday’s start, giving up two earned runs and five hits in six innings.

Karns got the outing he was looking for after a shaky stretch this spring.

“Much better. Felt like a pitcher out there. I was just trying to go in there and throw strikes, try to work ahead,” Karns said. “Be ahead and try not to fall behind. I knew if I found a count where I had to throw a pitch over the plate I was able to do that, and I liked the results after that.”

Kansas City’s Kris Medlen pitched 4 1/3 innings and allowed two earned runs and eight hits.

“I felt really good the first three (innings),” Medlen said. “I changed fastball grips in the middle of my windup to Nelson Cruz, for some reason, I have no idea why … But yes, just missed execution. And then to get in a little bit of a jam and have to challenge Robbie Cano, 2-2, 3-2. You’re not going to win a lot of those battles, really. They’re two really good hitters.”

Alcides Escobar tripled and scored twice for the Royals. Both teams committed two errors that led to runs.

MARINERS MOVES

The Mariners optioned 1B-OF Stefen Romero and LF Chris Taylor to Triple-A Tacoma, clearing the way for Luis Sardinas to make the opening-day roster as a utility infielder. Sardinas is hitting .321 with 14 RBI in spring training.

MONTERO CLAIMED

The Mariners lost Jesus Montero on Monday when the 26-year-old first baseman was claimed off waivers by Toronto. Montero, at one time one of the majors’ top catching prospects, appeared in 208 games in parts of four seasons with Seattle, batting .247 with 24 homers and 92 RBI.

The move, combined with Romero being sent to the minors, likely means Korean slugger Dae-Ho Lee will make the major league roster as Seattle’s backup first baseman to Adam Lind.

“It’s leaning that way,” Servais said.

Montero hit .237 in 38 at-bats in spring training games.

STARTING TIME

Royals: Kansas City played its last split-squad game of spring training. Medlen won’t pitch again in Arizona before the regular season.

“The pitches will be there when it counts and physically, getting up over 90 pitches, my body felt great,” he said. “And yeah, anytime you finish a spring training game and you feel good, it’s a pretty big comfort.”

Mariners: Karns is scheduled to make his last spring start on Saturday against Colorado. He is on track to make his first regular-season start in the team’s first series at home against Oakland.

Karns beat out left-hander James Paxton for the last rotation spot. Paxton made 13 major league starts last season, but was optioned to Tacoma earlier on Monday.

“We all know James Paxton is going to be a big part of our team at some point this season,” Servais said. “We’re going to need him, so let’s get him in a good spot mentally.”

Karns, new to Seattle after being acquired from Tampa Bay in the offseason, had kind words for Paxton.

“It’s just a number’s game. He’s a great talent. I know he’ll be back up here before we know it,” Karns said. “I just wish him the best. It’s nice to have that kind of environment here where even though we were challenging and put in a position of competing against each other, we were still supporting one another. That was huge for me, coming in to a new clubhouse.”

UP NEXT

Royals: Yordano Ventura gets his second-to-last tuneup before the regular season with a start Tuesday against the San Francisco Giants.

Mariners: Taijuan Walker is scheduled for his sixth start of the spring Tuesday against Cleveland and Josh Tomlin.

— Associated Press —

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Jed Lowrie and Chris Coghlan hit home runs and Kendall Graveman pitched seven solid innings in the Oakland Athletics’ 10-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.

Danny Valencia had two hits and drove in a pair of runs and Yonder Alonso added two hits for the A’s. Josh Reddick, Khris Davis and Billy Butler also drove in runs.

“Lowrie seems like he gets a good at-bat every time out,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “He’s been consistent the whole spring.”

Tony Cruz homered in the seventh for the Royals.

Chris Young pitched 4 1/3 innings, giving up five earned runs and nine hits.

Joakim Soria, who gave up his first earned runs of the spring in his last appearance, pitched a perfect seventh for the Royals.

Graveman took a shutout into the seventh. He allowed four hits, struck out six and walked one.

STARTING TIME

Royals: Young was the victim of the Arizona sun as the Royals committed four errors.

“We got him past 90 pitches on his pitch count and that’s the important thing,” Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. “A lot of those balls that found holes wouldn’t be hits during the regular season. All in all, it was a pretty good outing.”

Yost also said that Young will make a “backdown start” in his next outing.

Athletics: Graveman felt this was an important game for him and the team.

“I’ve been getting incrementally better in every game and I wanted to keep that going,” Graveman said. “I think this was in the right direction. I was able to throw all my pitches for strikes. To win this game is big because pretty soon, they’re going to count.”

Graveman was particularity happy with the development of a changeup, a pitch he worked on during the offseason and a pitch he needs.

“I think it weakens the contact and gets them off my fastball,” Graveman said. “I have to be able to throw that pitch to both lefties and righties.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: OF Jarrod Dyson (right oblique strain) has begun a throwing program. He’s expected to return to action by mid-April.

Athletics: OF Sam Fuld returned to camp following the birth of his first child. He’s been out with a sore shoulder. … RHP Henderson Alvarez will throw a bullpen on Tuesday and is expected to throw to hitters when the team returns to Oakland either Saturday or the following Wednesday. … Former A’s shortstop and AL Rookie of the Year Bobby Crosby threw out the first pitch.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Edinson Volquez is scheduled to make his first start against a major league team in two weeks and his fourth overall on Monday in Surprise against the San Diego Padres as he prepares for his opening day start. He’ll be opposed by LHP Drew Pomeranz.

Athletics: RHP Jesse Hahn starts Monday’s game in Mesa against the Cleveland Indians and RHP Danny Salazar.

CUTS

Athletics: Optioned OF Jake Smolinski to Triple-A Nashville; Reassigned C Carson Blair to the minor league camp.

— Associated Press —

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Johnny Cueto pitched six innings and singled against his former team and Brandon Belt hit a three-run homer as the San Francisco Giants beat the Kansas City Royals 8-5 on Friday.

Conor Gillaspie also homered, Denard Span drove in a pair of runs and catching prospect Trevor Brown added a run-scoring double.

Travis Snider and Cory Decker each hit a two-run homer and Paulo Orlando drove in a run for the Royals. Omar Infante went 3 for 4 and scored twice.

Ian Kennedy allowed five runs on six hits in his four innings. He walked a pair and struck out six.

Giants reliever Sergio Romo struck out the side in the ninth.

STARTING TIME

Royals: Kennedy said the biggest takeaway of the day was getting his pitch count up.

“I fell behind a lot of hitters,” he said. “I was hoping to go deeper into the game, get up and down a couple more times, but I threw so many pitches early on. Even the innings I wasn’t giving up runs, I was throwing a lot of pitches.”

Kennedy said his fastball command was not that far off and his changeup was pretty good.

“I was barely missing and I was missing down,” Kennedy said. “With Belt, I didn’t get it quite as high as I wanted. I tried elevating that pitch, but it didn’t happen. It’s about getting ready for the season rather than focus on results.”

With George Kottaras in the original lineup as designated hitter, Kennedy was surprised when Cueto came to bat in the third.

“I heard his name and turned around and saw him,” he said. “I was prepared to face Kottaras.”

Giants: Cueto said he’s ready to start the regular season after throwing over 90 pitches, using everything in his repertoire.

“Everything was working and I felt comfortable,” Cueto said. “My objective was to get my work done and try to throw to the inside when I want and to the outside when I want.”

Cueto led off the third inning with a single to right field and had to hustle to beat a throw by Paulo Orlando. They exchanged a few light-hearted words afterward.

“I had to run hard or get thrown out,” he said. “I don’t like hitting that much, but I do like moving the runner up.”

Cueto enjoyed going up against his old teammates, too.

“It’s always great to face old friends,” Cueto said. “But that’s baseball; one year you’re on a team and the next year you’re with another team.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Edinson Volquez (arm fatigue) will have had two weeks between starts when he makes his next appearance Monday. Volquez has thrown in minor-league games. … LHP Tim Collins (left elbow) said he would undergo a second Tommy John surgery after an MRI revealed that the first surgery failed to take hold.

Giants: C Andrew Susac (tendinitis in right hand) has not appeared in a spring game for over a week, although he has been playing in minor league games.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Chien-Ming Wang will make his seventh appearance, second start, on Saturday in Surprise against the Oakland A’s and RHP Chris Bassett.

Giants: RHP Jeff Samardzija will get the call Saturday when San Francisco travels to Mesa to take on Samardzija’s former team Chicago Cubs and RHP John Lackey.

— Associated Press —

PHOENIX (AP) — Chris Carter and Martin Maldonado each hit three-run homers, Wily Peralta threw six strong innings and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Kansas City Royals 9-2 on Thursday.

Ryan Braun was a late scratch for the Brewers due to lower back soreness. He had back surgery in the off-season and was slowly easing back into play (seven at-bats) without any setbacks before Thursday. Braun’s replacement, Eric Young Jr., hit a two-run homer.

“We’re just going to be cautious,” Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said of his approach to Braun. “He won’t be in there tomorrow. We’ll see for Saturday. I don’t think it’s a red flag. I’m not concerned. We’re just going to be overly cautious at this point. I anticipate him being in there on Saturday.”

Peralta, the Brewers’ No. 1 starter, had his best outing of the spring, allowing four hits and one run, a solo homer to Eric Hosmer. It was the third homer for Hosmer, who is now hitting .400.

“I’m right where I want to be. I feel strong, healthy and now you work to maintain it. That’s all you can ask for,” Hosmer said. “(Royals manager) Ned (Yost) does a great job of easing us back into shape. This is the first week we’re playing three games in a row and it feels just right.”

Reymond Fuentes added his third homer of the spring in the ninth inning for Kansas City. Starter Dillion Gee sailed through the first three innings before allowing the three-run homer to Maldonado in the fourth.

STARTING TIME

Royals: Gee allowed three hits in four innings, getting into trouble in the fourth with two walks, an RBI single by Jonathan Villar and Maldonado’s home run to left center.

“I felt good early. That last inning I lost my release point and struggled with command,” Gee said. “I feel like I have thrown the ball better this spring than I have in other years. I’m healthy and feeling good where I’m at.”

Brewers: Peralta entered the game with an 11.70 ERA but had his best start by far, allowing four hits and striking out three.

FEELING CENTERED

Counsell hasn’t named his starting center fielder. But Keon Broxton sure looks like one, even on a day when he doesn’t get to hit. Broxton made the defensive play of the day for Milwaukee, a diving catch of Whit Merrifield’s fly ball before popping to his feet and throwing a strike to second to double off Travis Snider.

“I thought the runner was going to be back in plenty of time. I saw the umpire call him out and I was shocked,” said Braxton, who his hitting .345 with an on-base percentage of .500. “I’ve done as much as I can to make a statement. It’s not in my hands.”

DEAL OR NO DEAL?

The Brewers still have seven pitchers vying for the final two spots on the staff. Starters Peralta, Jimmy Nelson, Matt Garza, Taylor Jungmann and Chase Anderson and relievers Michael Blazek, Corey, Knebel, Jeremy Jeffress, Will Smith and Tyler Thornberg are already locked in leaving seven pitchers battling for two spots.

Among those are three veterans — Blaine Boyer, Chris Capuano and Franklin Morales — who are camp invitees and not on the 40-man roster. There is wiggle room with both Rymer Liriano and Yhonathan Barrios starting the season on the disabled list. The team has until no later than March 29 to be put invitees on the roster. If they aren’t they earn a $100,000 retention bonus.

Capuano and Morales are lefties and figured to be battling with Sean Nolin, who hasn’t pitched since March 14 due to elbow soreness.

TRAINING ROOM

Royals: Pitcher Tim Collins will have Tommy John surgery for the second time in a year after the ligament graft from the first surgery in March of 2015 was unsuccessful.

Brewers: Liriano, who was hit in the face by a pitch on Sunday, was scheduled to see a plastic surgeon Thursday to discuss options.

Royals: Right-hander Ian Kennedy will start against the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium.

Brewers: Right-hander Jimmy Nelson will face the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park.

— Associated Press —

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Tyler Naquin homered twice and Francisco Lindor and Jason Kipnis also homered, powering the Cleveland Indians to a 7-6 win over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday.

Naquin, the Indians’ first pick in the 2012 draft, hit his first two home runs of the spring. He also doubled and scored on an RBI single by Mike Napoli.

“Naquin’s doing everything he can do,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “We’ll get to a point where we start to do some things. You don’t want to do them too early, but he’s done a really good job.”

Lindor and Kipnis hit consecutive homers in the first inning. It was the first for Lindor and third for Kipnis, who also tripled and scored in the third.

Napoli signed with the Indians to play first base and designated hitter along with Carlos Santana. Napoli is hitting .455 this spring.

Mike Moustakas homered and Reymond Fuentes singled with the bases loaded off Danny Salazar for the Royals in a six-run third inning. Salvador Perez had two hits.

Salazar allowed six runs, five earned, in 2 1/3 innings.

“Salazar had a rough day. I think he’s better than that,” Francona said. “I hope this doesn’t get in the way of his progression. We wanted him to go five. (Pitching coach) Mickey (Callaway) told him to go work on his legs.”

Kris Medlen allowed four home runs in 3 1/3 innings. He struck out four.

“The center fielder (Naquin), the young dude they have has such a great swing,” Medlen said. “Every mistake I made with the heater was absolutely smashed. I tried to go down and away to him (Naquin) and he absolutely smacked it. Then I tried to go in and he absolutely smacked it.”

STARTING TIME

Royals: Kris Medlen gave up five earned runs in 3 1/3 innings and seven hits and a walk. He struck out six but allowed four home runs.

“I felt like my stuff was there,” Medlen said. “You don’t like to get tatered like that, but at the same you want to be aggressive. I was a little over aggressive at times. I was encouraged with my changeup. I threw 75 pitches and felt I had more in the tank.”

Indians: Danny Salazar lasted just 2 1/3 innings in giving up five earned runs for the second straight outing. He allowed five in four innings to Cincinnati in his previous start.

“I was getting the ball up, then some of the pitches went in the dirt because I was trying to throw strikes,” Salazar said. “I was being a little more aggressive. This helps me learn for the next time.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: OF Jarrod Dyson has not appeared in a spring training game since March 2. Dyson has a strained right oblique.

Indians: C Yan Gomes was sent home with the flu. … OF Michael Brantley is sore after playing in two Cactus League games and a minor league game. Brantley, who is recovering from shoulder surgery, will get a couple days off to rest. … Lonnie Chisenhall played in a minor league game. He had tightness in his right forearm.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Dillon Gee is scheduled to start against the Brewers in Marydale.

Indians: RHP Trevor Bauer is slated to face LHP Clayton Kershaw Thursday night in Goodyear.

ROSTER MOVES

Royals: The Royals released RHP Ross Ohlendorf. … C Parker Morin, INF Orlando Calixte and INF Dusty Coleman were re-assigned to minor league camp. LHP Scott Alexander, LHP Brian Flynn were optioned to Triple-A Omaha.

Indians: Optioned RHP Felipe Paulino to Triple-A Columbus.

— Associated Press —

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Kendrys Morales hit his first home run this spring, helping the Kansas City Royals to a 5-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday.

Morales hit a 2-run shot off Dodgers left-hander J.P. Howell over left field in a four-run fifth inning.

Morales also singled in the first off Dodgers left-hander Alex Wood, who gave up one run on four hits in three innings in his second spring start.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was pleased with Wood’s work.

“It was a productive outing,” Roberts said. “The ball was coming out of his hand really well. He mixed in some change-ups. He commanded the fastball.”

STARTING TIME

Royals: Right-hander Kris Medlen worked four innings in his third spring start, giving up one run on three hits and striking out four.

“I felt it was similar to my last start,” Medlen said. “I had to get used to the mound. I was able to make the adjustment. The hits I gave up for runs were strikes, on 0-2 and 1-2. I just tried to pound the zone.”

Dodgers: Woods was scratched from a scheduled start last weekend because of tightness in his forearm.

“It felt good, it was good,” Woods said Thursday. “I had one goal and that was to be efficient.”

Roberts said the Dodgers would probably break camp with Woods as the No. 4 starter behind Clayton Kershaw, Scott Kazmir and Kenta Maeda.

The fifth spot is still up for grabs, with Brandon Beachy, Mike Bolsinger and Zach Lee the contenders.

ROSTER MOVES

Julio Urias, a 19-year-old pitching prospect, was one of seven players cut Thursday by the Dodgers. He was re-assigned to minor league camp.

Urias had been in the hunt for the fifth spot in the rotation. But his inexperience led to mistakes in his two spring appearances. He gave up four runs on five hits over three innings. Still, his potential was evident when he struck out the first three batters he faced.

Other Dodger cuts were RHP Jose De Leon, RHP Yaisel Sierra, RHP Ross Stripling, LHP Ian Thomas, INF Micah Johnson and C Jack Murphy.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: OF Jarrod Dyson (strained abdominal muscle) has begun throwing. There is no timetable on when he can begin hitting. He is expected to miss the first two weeks of regular season. . RHP Brian Duensing suffered a bruised ankle Wednesday in a 10-0 victory over the Cubs.

Dodgers: Howie Kendrick is expected to be back at second base Friday against the Diamondbacks. Kendrick, who was a designated hitter in a Tuesday game, is coming back from groin injury.

UP NEXT

Royals: Kansas City plays split-squad games Friday, one in San Antonio against the Rangers. RHP Dillon Gee is set to start against Rangers LHP Derek Holland. The other game is at the Royals’ spring home in Surprise, with Miguel Altamonte facing the Angels’ Matt Shoemaker in a match of right-handers.

Dodgers: Los Angeles travels to Scottsdale, with Beachy set to make his second start and his third appearance in spring against the Diamondbacks. Arizona plans to counter with RHP Zack Godley.

— Associated Press —

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Chris Young pitched four scoreless innings and Christian Colon snapped a 0-for-23 skid with his first two hits of the spring as the Kansas City Royals topped the Chicago Cubs 10-0 on Wednesday.

Young, who pitched out of a bases-loaded one-out jam in the fourth, allowed two hits, walked two and struck out five.

“The fastball command was really good, the slider command was pretty good,” Young said. “It’s my bread and butter, overall it was decent.”

Colon, who had not had a hit since his go-ahead RBI single in the 12th inning of Game 5 of the World Series against the New York Mets, doubled in the fifth and singled in the seventh.

“Really the mentality was, don’t think about yourself,” Colon said. “Sometime when you go oh-for so long, you start thinking I’ve got to do this, I’ve got to do that, but it’s just about the team. It’s always about the team. Everybody in the dugout was super pumped. It feels good to get hits, that’s for sure, no matter if they count or not.”

Reymond Fuentes, who is trying to earn a job as a spare outfielder, hit a three-run homer in the seventh and drove in Colon with a fifth inning single. Dusty Coleman hit a two-run homer in the eighth.

Cubs right-hander John Lackey allowed two runs on six hits over five innings, walking none and striking out four.

Royals left-hander David Huff inherited a bases-loaded, no-out mess in the seventh when Brian Duensing left with a bruised left ankle after being struck by a Javier Baez liner. Huff got out of it on three pitches on a Kristopher Negron popup and Arismendy Alcantara grounding into a double play.

STARTING TIME:

Cubs: Lackey threw 49 strikes in 66 pitches over five innings. “I think four was the plan, but the pitch count was pretty good, so we went ahead and fired another one out there,” Lackey said. “I felt really good about it. I’m still trying to establish a fastball, still trying to work on that. They are obviously a real good fastball-hitting team, so it was a nice test today for sure.”

Royals: In the first three innings, Young threw 21 pitches — nine in the first, five in the second and seven in the third. “You look at pitch counts, but the up and down, the rest time in between where you go in the dugout, you sit for five or 10 minutes and lose your sweat and you have to go back out and warm up,” he said. “That’s as taxing sometimes as the pitch count.” Young threw 26 pitches in the fourth and then went to the bullpen to reach 60 for the day. “I’m roughly 60 percent to where I need to be,” he said. “A few more outings and I should be able to get there. I’m more or less happy where I am.”

ON THE ROAD

A Royals split squad will play the Rangers on Friday and Saturday at the San Antonio Alamodome. The traveling squad includes 1B Eric Hosmer, C Salvador Perez, OF Lorenzo Cain, Colon and manager Ned Yost.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: OF Matt Murton, who had an appendectomy in early March, appeared in a simulated game Tuesday.

Royals: Duensing is listed as day to day with an ankle contusion. . RHP Edinson Volquez has arm fatigue and has been scratched for Friday’s game in San Antonio against the Rangers. . RHP Edinson Volquez has the flu and will skip his Saturday start. . OF Jarrod Dyson, who pulled his oblique in the first spring game, has begun running and throwing. “Getting there,” Dyson said.

UP NEXT

Cubs: RHP Jason Hammel, who has thrown six scoreless innings in his first two outings, will start against the Diamondbacks on Thursday.

Royals: RHP Kris Medlen will face the Dodgers on Thursday.

— Associated Press —

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Alcides Escobar doubled, scored and drove in a run in the Kansas City Royals’ 4-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

Escobar opened the game with a double and scored on a single by Eric Hosmer against former Royal Brandon Finnegan.

The Royals’ Omar Infante also had two hits and scored with two outs in the fifth inning when Escobar bunted against a charging Adam Duvall, who played third base for the first time this spring.

Jay Bruce doubled home a run in the Reds’ two-run first against Ian Kennedy. Joey Votto had two singles and a walk, and has reached base in eight of his nine appearances. And Duvall, who is still in the competition for the Reds’ open left-field job, drove in a run with a single.

Kennedy pitched out of trouble and kept it close during his four innings.

“His fastball command was off,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “His command will come around. He did a phenomenal job of keeping it close.

Cincinnati’s Billy Hamilton had his first at-bat since March 2, bunting for a base hit.

“It was a blessing being out there with the guys. I’m a part of the team again,” said Hamilton, who’d been out with discomfort in his surgically repaired right shoulder. “That first inning went the way I wanted. What I love to do is run. If I can get on base I can make things happen.”

The Reds scored two seventh-inning runs off Danny Duffy.

“Danny stinks in spring,” Yost said. “When the season starts he’s pretty good. I don’t have to evaluate him. I know him. I just look back at his history.”

LOOK OUT, BUDDY

Finnegan, who came to the Reds during the Royals’ last-season trade for Johnny Cueto, had two hard comebackers knock his glove off.

After he hit Alex Gordon with a misplaced breaking ball, Mike Moustakas and Hosmer sent screamers back through the box. Moustakas knocked his glove off of Finnegan’s hand and Hosmer’s caught him on the palm of his right hand.

“I couldn’t react in time,” Finnegan said of Hosmer’s hit. “I couldn’t react to it. He got a good piece of it but luckily I got him out. Hos and I are real close.”

STARTING TIME

Royals: Kennedy pitched four innings, allowing seven hits and two runs. “It’s a good sign when you do that without your best stuff,” Yost said. “All in all he did a good job to limit the damage.” Kennedy, who spent last season with San Diego, is one of nine pitchers to make 30 or more starts in six straight seasons.

Reds: Finnegan had his longest outing of the spring with 4 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits and striking out four. “It was a thousand times better than the last time,” said Finnegan, who gave up two runs in 2 2/3 innings to Colorado during his last game. “Everything was working. I was spotting my fastball. My change-up was really good today.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: The Royals moved LHP Mike Minor to the 60-day disabled list to make room for RHP Dillon Gee, whose contract the Royals selected from Triple A Omaha. Gee had a clause that allowed him to be a free agent if he was not on the 40-man roster by today.

Reds: An MRI revealed that RHP Michael Lorenzen has a sprain of his ulnar collateral ligament and tendonitis in his elbow but no structural damage. He will be re-examined by Dr. Timothy Kremchek on Thursday. … OF Billy Hamilton (shoulder) and OF Kyle Wadrop (groin) shared designated hitting duties against the Royals. … C Devin Mesoraco (hip and quad) will play in his first spring game on Thursday against the Cleveland Indians.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Chris Young will start for the Royals when they host RHP John Lackey and the Cubs.

Reds: The Reds travel to play the Arizona Diamondbacks in a night game and will start RHP Jon Moscot against LHP Patrick Corbin.

— Associated Press —

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Lorenzo Cain, Alex Gordon and Travis Snider homered as the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 9-3 Monday.

Cain hit his first spring home run in the third off Jacob Turner after Mike Moustakas walked.

Gordon homered on a 0-2 pitch from Turner to lead off the first. Gordon is 8 for 12 with three home runs and four RBI in his past four games. Snider ripped a three-run shot in the Royals’ five-run seventh.

Royals right-hander Yordano Ventura struck out six in four innings, allowing one run and three hits.

“It feels good this time of year to have a good feel for your pitches,” Ventura said.

Turner, who was limited to two minor league starts last season because of an elbow injury, allowed three runs and six hits in three innings.

“I left a pitch up to Gordon,” Turner said. “That home run to Cain, I was trying to go down and away and it just kind of ran back over the middle on me. I definitely need to execute that fastball down a little bit better.”

Jason Coats homered for the White Sox.

STARTING TIME

White Sox: Turner is 0-2 with a 10.57 ERA in three starts, allowing nine runs on 13 hits, including four homers, and four walks in 7 2/3 innings. “The stuff has been pretty good,” Turner said. “The execution has been a little bit disappointing at times, especially out of the stretch. Coming off the injury, I’m happy to be pitching, happy to be competing. I do feel like I’ve executed a lot of good pitches. Every time I go out there and pitch, I’m not trying to give up any runs if it’s spring training or Game 7 of the World Series. Every time I pitch, I’m trying to get good results and also execute pitches.”

Royals: Ventura struck out the side on 13 pitches in the first inning. “All of them were changeups,” he said. “I was working on and making sure I stayed through it and it was working.” He also wriggled out of a bases loaded one-out jam in the fourth.

A SALE JOB

White Sox LHP Chris Sale pitched in a B-game against Dodgers. Sale threw 75 pitches in 4 1/3 innings, allowing two runs and four hits, two walks and a hit batter, while striking out four.

ROYALS TRIM 19

The Royals optioned RHP Kyle Zimmer, a 2012 first-round draft pick, and OF Jose Martinez, who led the Pacific Coast League with a .384 batting average last season, to Triple-A Omaha as the club made 19 roster moves. The Royals have 44 players still in camp.

Kansas City also optioned RHP Miguel Almonte, 1B Cheslor Cuthbert and OF Brett Eibner to Omaha. The team optioned OFs Bubba Starling and Jorge Bonifacio, LHP Matt Strahm, RHP Alec Mills and INF Ramon Torres to Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

The Royals assigned nine non-roster invitees to minor league camp.

STILL HITLESS

2B Christian Colon went 0 for 3 and is hitless in 22 at-bats. “I can think of about five or six that I’ve hit well, but no luck,” Colon said. “It just trickles down and keeps going. I’ll be fine. When the lights come on, I’ll be ready.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: C Dioner Navarro, who fouled a ball off his left ankle Sunday, did not play.

UP NEXT

White Sox: LHP Jose Quintana will start against the Dodgers.

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy will face the Reds, who will counter with LHP Brandon Finnegan, a 2014 Kansas City first-round pick who was a member of the Royals’ bullpen in the 2014 World Series.

— Associated Press —

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Alex Gordon hit his second spring homer and Edinson Volquez struck out six in four innings, but the Kansas City Royals lost 9-4 to a Cleveland Indians split-squad on Sunday.

Gordon connected against right-hander Mike Clevinger, a touted prospect who has never pitched above Double-A. The drive came on Clevinger’s first pitch of the first inning.

“It’s definitely nerve-racking,” Clevinger said of facing the defending World Series champions. “You know who it is. You try to be the same guy, but I think that it probably got me a little bit amped. He (Gordon) ambushed a fastball I left up.”

Volquez allowed three runs and five hits, including a two-run drive to Giovanny Urshela, who leads the Indians with three homers and nine RBI.

Cleveland’s Trevor Bauer allowed one run and two hits over four relief innings.

“He threw the ball well, no doubt he did,” Indians bench coach Brad Mills said. “He was able to mix his pitches, threw a lot of sliders and cutters today that he had real good command of and he was throwing 96-97.”

Roberto Perez hit a three-run homer off rookie left-hander Brian Flynn in the Indians’ five-run seventh. He also tripled as the Indians collected a spring-high 17 hits.

“I’ve been working on a lot of things in spring training and I finally I put it together today,” Perez said.

STARTING TIME

Indians: Clevinger, who logged a 2.73 ERA in 2015 with Double-A Akron, allowed three runs, one earned, and five hits in two-plus innings. He struck out three and walked two.

Clevinger knows the Indians’ rotation will be difficult to crack.

“It’s definitely full,” he said. “This whole system is full. It’s above you in the rotation and the guys behind you in the system have tons of talent. It’s all around you in the organization.”

Royals: Volquez has 10 strikeouts in 8 2/3 innings.

“I think everything was working,” Volquez said. “The curve was good and my changeup was better than my curve. Fastball command was really good. I walked two guys but still felt good. It’s all about getting ready for the start of the season. I’m real close.”

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Luke Wakamatsu, a 19-year-old shortstop prospect with the Indians, entered in the seventh inning and grounded out to first in his only at-bat. His father, Don, is the bench coach for the Royals.

Bradley Zimmer, another Cleveland prospect who is the younger brother of Royals right-hander Kyle Zimmer, hit an RBI single in the ninth.

FINALLY A HIT

Omar Infante and Christian Colon, who are competing for the second base job with the Royals, were a combined 0 for 28 entering the game. Infante doubled in his first at-bat and singled in his second, ending the skid.

IMPRESSIVE ROOKIE

Indians CF Tyler Naquin, a 2012 first-round pick out of Texas A&M, continued his remarkable spring, going 2 for 4 with a double and raising his average to .417.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: RHP Craig Stammen (right flexor tendon surgery last April) will throw his first batting practice this week.

UP NEXT

Indians: RHP Corey Kluber, the 2014 AL Cy Young Award winner, will start against the Rangers on Monday.

Royals: RHP Yordano Ventura, who has a 5.40 ERA in his first two starts, will face the White Sox on Monday.

— Associated Press —