ST. LOUIS (AP) Overcoming two blown saves gave the Kansas City Royals reason to believe this trip would be better.
“It’s hard to come in here and not only once but twice take the lead and have them answer back,” Eric Hosmer said after a 3-2, 12-inning victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night. “I think the guys realize our bullpen doesn’t do that too often, so when it does happen we do whatever we can to pick them up.”
The Royals are just 14-25 on the road, one of the worst records in the majors. They’re the best at home at 27-11.
“We’ve just got to continue to play our game,” Hosmer said. “There’s still a lot of season left.”
Alcides Escobar hit a go-ahead RBI double just inside the right-field line in the 12th after driving 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.
“They scratched one, we scratched one,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “It was one of those nights where pitching was really, really good.”
Chien-Ming Wang (5-0) worked two scoreless innings for Kansas City, which survived blown saves by Wade Davis andJoakim 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.
Piscotty had believed Escobar’s double would drop foul with runners on first and third. He ended up twisting his ankle diving to make the play and wasn’t sure whether he could play Thursday.
“I didn’t want to catch it. If I catch that ball he tags and scores,” Piscotty said. “Unfortunately for me and the team, it was fair.”
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 and have lost the opener of five consecutive homestands.
Martinez has allowed two earned runs in 28 1-3 innings in his last four starts. He was limited to 89 pitches because of worries about cumulative fatigue.
“It actually was a really good idea, because I’ve been a little tired,” Martinez said through an interpreter. “I had pitched many innings in previous games.”
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.
Picture credit – Kansas City Star