Fortunately, he had a two-run lead to the work with in this one.
Advertisement
The Mariners’ road losing streak hit 10 games Thursday night in a numbing 4-3 giveaway loss to the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium.
Ventura (6-6) was almost as stingy as Iwakuma, giving up only a sacrifice fly to Ketel Marte in the fifth, before things unraveled for him after Seth Smith’s single and Robinson Cano’s double in the sixth.
“That was Hosmer”, Perez said “He gives me a sign and I throw the ball right to him. I had no clue”. Nelson Cruz lined a long foul ball down the right-field line. The umpires reviewed the play and the decision was upheld, sending the runners back to second and third.Ventura then threw a wild pitch, scoring Smith. Perez threw the ball away trying to get him out at the plate, allowing Cano to also score – the star catcher was given an error on the play.
In San Francisco, Brandon Crawford drove in three runs and came within a triple of hitting for the cycle and Jeff Samardzija overcame a shaky first inning to get the win for the Giants. He struck out five.
They were on their way to a productive game in the second inning when the Royals strung together three runs, the most in one inning in a week, and worked late as Perez socked his 14 th home run of the season, his second in two days, this one off the left field fair pole in the seventh. 222 in their career against Ventura entering Friday’s game…Iwakuma was 3-0 (1.61 ERA) all-time against the Royals heading into Friday’s action, while Ventura was 0-3 (4.34 ERA) all-time against the Mariners…Ventura has allowed a stolen base to four baserunners in 446 1/3 innings, which is the second-lowest ratio (Dallas Braden, 491 1/3 innings) in the Major Leagues since 1974. “He’s tough, got a good sinker, a good split. Keeps you off balance with you know a decent slider”.
Steve Cishek, who blew the save the previous night, allowed Salvador Perez’s homer in the ninth before finishing off the inning. It was his 21st save of the season. He’s a real competitor and he’s got good stuff. “I think he knows more than me”.
Brooks Pounders (1-0) tossed a scoreless inning for his first big league win, helping Kansas City bounce back after a dismal road trip, during which they were swept in Toronto and lost five of their last six games.
“It’s definitely exciting, but at the same time it’s just pitching”, Montgomery said. Moments later, the World Series MVP made the defensive play of the game.
In Houston, Luis Valbuena hit a game-ending, three-run homer. “It’s puzzling”, Yost said, “but there’s not anything you can point to other than we’re just not producing”.
The Mariners’ Felix Hernandez will return July 20 against the White Sox. “Have fun.” Hernandez went on the DL on June 1 with a right calf strain. The Royals have won two of the three games in this series and the two have hit the under in all three meetings this weekend.
Brett Eibner followed with a double to left center, putting two runners in scoring position, and here the Royals caught a break.
Kansas City has Dillon Gee on the mound to face Mike Montgomery of the Mariners.
Advertisement
The Royals had their first run of the season against Miley, who had blanked them in Seattle on April 30.
