Field Level Media
Jun 13, 2018
Tyler Mahle out dueled Jason Hammel as the visiting Cincinnati Reds swept their two-game series with a 7-0 win over the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Wednesday night.
The Reds turned a pitchers' duel into a rout, scoring two runs following two Royals' errors runs in the seventh inning, another in the eighth and four in the ninth - on a long grand slam by Adam Duvall. Cincinnati won for the fourth time in six games, including Tuesday night's 5-1 win over Kansas City in 10 innings.
The Royals lost their third straight and 10th in their last 12.
Mahle (5-6) went 6 1/3 innings, his first time surpassing six innings in his 14th start this season. He allowed three hits and two walks with one strikeout on 88 pitches. He lowered his ERA from 4.33 to 3.96.
Hammel (2-7) threw just 58 pitches through six innings, until the Reds broke through in the seventh.
Jose Peraza led off the seventh with a double and went to third on a groundout. Scooter Gennett hit a hard ground ball that shortstop Alcides Escobar let get by him for an error, Peraza scored to give the Reds the lead.
Eugenio Suarez singled to left, sending Gennett to third, and Jesse Winker hit a potential double play grounder, but another error allowed Gennett to score.
In 7 1/3 innings, Hammel allowed seven hits and three runs (two earned). He struck out three and did not allow a walk.
The Kansas City miscues were in contrast to the sixth, when left fielder Alex Gordon played the carom perfectly on a hit off the wall to throw out catcher Curt Casali trying to get a double. Gordon then charged in to make a diving catch on a soft fly ball.
The Royals tried to rally in the eighth, getting runners on first and third and two outs, but lefty Wandy Peralta, the fourth Reds' pitcher, came on to retire Mike Moustakas on a hard line drive to center field.
The Reds then loaded the bases in the ninth against lefty reliever Tim Hill on a single, an error and a fielder's choice, and Duvall greeted right-hander Jason Adam with his slam to left-center, his 11th home run of the season.
Peraza and Gennett each had two of the Reds' nine hits, and Whit Merrifield and Jorge Soler had two apiece for the Royals, who had only five overall.
--Field Level Media