Jarrod Dyson’s leaping catch that took a home run away from Christian Yelich in the first inning set the tone for the game. Herrera closed the game by striking out Marcell Ozuna, who was caught looking at a 3-2 pitch.
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MIAMI (AP) – Alcides Escobar is the latest player to make an impact at the plate for the Kansas City Royals.
Alcides Escobar finished 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored in the Royals’ 5-2 win over the Marlins on Thursday.
Despite Volquez’s struggles, Kansas City has won both of his last two starts, though admittedly both were against the Minnesota Twins. The Royals’ bullpen pitched four scoreless innings to push its franchise-record scoreless streak to 38 2/3 innings.
“The bullpen’s doing fine”, Yost said.
Strahm pitched a scoreless seventh (because of course), Joakim Soria pitched a scoreless eighth (Soria has not allowed a run in his last ten outings, with a 11:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio over that time), and all of a sudden it was the ninth inning for Kelvin Herrera’s ninth save opportunity.
Tom Koehler (9-9) took the loss.
“It’s baseball”, Koehler said. “You’ve got to give them credit”. Scoring runs in a variety of ways the Royals reminded people they are the defending champions. It didn’t work out, as Salvador Perez crushed a double of his own to score Cuthbert and give the Royals a 1-0 lead.
“We had a few chances”. With two outs, Miami intentionally walked clean-up batter Eric Hosmer. Cheslor Cuthbert scored on Perez’s ground ball down the left-field line.
Escobar extended the Royals’ lead to 2-0 on a home run to center field in the fourth. It was his third of the season and second of the month. “(Koehler) threw me a first-pitch cutter and the next pitch was a fastball and I swung the bat and hit the ball really good”.
Dee Gordon, still slowing down after a sprint to first base, lifted his helmet off his head and held it there for just a moment. With the Royals leading 4-2, he drew a leadoff walk, stole second, swiped third and scored when catcher J.T.Realmuto’s throw sailed into left field for an error. Kansas City had three errors of their own in a sloppy game for both teams.
The Marlins very almost had an earned run – a very earned run – against Volquez in the first inning, but center fielder Jarrod Dyson made one of the best defensive plays of the year on Christian Yelich’s 414-foot shot to straightaway center.
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“That was probably the best play that anybody’s made for me in my entire career”, Volquez said. “That’s a great play'”.
