Kansas City Royals vs Seattle Mariners Match Player Stats On Jul 03, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jul 4, 2017

SEATTLE -- Ian Kennedy pitched 6 2/3 strong innings as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Seattle Mariners 3-1 Monday night at Safeco Field.

Mike Moustakas and Alex Gordon hit solo home runs to back Kennedy, who won his third consecutive decision. Kennedy (3-6) allowed one run on four hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.

Kansas City's Joaquim Soria pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save of the season.

The Royals (42-40), who lost 20 of their first 30 games, moved two games above .500 for the first time this season and prevented the Mariners (41-43) from returning to the .500 mark.

Kansas City struck early against Seattle right-hander Andrew Moore, who was making his second major league start.

Whit Merrifield led off the game with a double into the right field corner. Merrifield advanced to third on a Ramon Torres flyout to center field and scored on Lorenzo Cain's sacrifice fly to right.

Kansas City made it 2-0 in the second as Moustakas led off by homering off the facade of the second deck in right field, just below the Hit It Here Cafe. It was Moustakas' 23rd home run of the season.

The Mariners scored in the bottom of the second. With one out, Kyle Seager walked, Danny Valencia grounded a single up the middle and Jarrod Dyson walked to load the bases. Seager scored on a wild pitch, with Valencia and Dyson also advancing. Kennedy struck out Mike Zunino and Boog Powell to end the threat.

Moore retired 11 consecutive batters after Moustakas' home run.

Gordon snapped that streak with two outs in the fifth, hitting a broken-bat home run into the first row of seats in right-center field, just over the outstretched glove of Mariners right fielder Mitch Haniger. Gordon's fifth homer of the season gave the Royals a 3-1 lead.

The Mariners threatened in the seventh as Valencia led off with a single and took second on a wild pitch. With two outs, right-hander Peter Moylan relieved Kennedy with pinch hitter Nelson Cruz coming up. Moylan struck out Cruz to end the inning.

Moore finished eight innings, allowing three runs on five hits. He struck out four without issuing a walk.

NOTES: The Mariners optioned RHP Dan Altavilla, who was 1-1 with a 5.46 ERA in 29 relief appearances, to Triple-A Tacoma to make room on the roster for RHP Andrew Moore. ... Seattle made a trade just before the game, sending Double-A RHP Tyler Herb to the San Francisco Giants for cash considerations. ... Royals LHP Danny Duffy (4-4, 3.54 ERA) is scheduled to be activated from the 10-day disabled list Tuesday to start against Mariners RHP Felix Hernandez (3-2, 4.66). Duffy has been out since May 28 with a strained right oblique.