ROYALS 8, CUBS 4
CHICAGO -- The Kansas City Royals were sailing along with a three-run lead.
In a flash, they lost it. Then, they regrouped for a victory they sorely needed.
Lorenzo Cain hit a tiebreaking RBI double and scored in a three-run eighth inning, and the Royals beat the Chicago Cubs 8-4 Friday to snap a four-game losing streak.
Alcides Escobar homered on the game's first pitch. Alex Gordon and Salvador Perez also went deep, and the Royals came out on top after squandering a 4-1 lead.
"It feels like a new day," said Eric Hosmer, who had an RBI double.
Mike Moustakas walked leading off the eighth against Pedro Strop (1-3). Cain, who had three hits, then drove him in with a double to the base of the wall in right-center, and the Royals scored two more thanks to an error by center fielder Dexter Fowler with two out and Justin Grimm pitching.
Fowler dropped Omar Infante's liner trying to make a shoestring catch with runners on first and second, then fell trying to pick up the ball. Cain and Hosmer scored, making it 7-4, and the Royals got back to winning after a three-game sweep by the Yankees in New York.
Edinson Volquez was making it look easy before Chicago's Jorge Soler chased him with a two-run home run with two out in the sixth. He connected on a 3-0 pitch, making it 4-3.
Kelvin Herrera (1-1) gave up a tying solo drive to Addison Russell in the seventh but picked up the victory.
Russell's home run was the second allowed by Herrera this season after he went 105 1/3 innings without allowing one. Cleveland's Lonnie Chisenhall connected against him on May 5.
Wade Davis struck out the side in the eighth and Greg Holland worked the ninth.
"We played well today," Cubs Manager Joe Maddon said. "We had them on the ropes. They showed why they went to the World Series last year. We showed why we're not ready yet."
Volquez was in line to win his third consecutive start before the late rally. The right-hander allowed 3 runs and 6 hits, struck out a season-high 9 and walked 1.
Jake Arrieta lasted 7 innings, allowing 4 runs and 8 hits. He struck out five without a walk.
Kansas City, making its first appearance at Wrigley Field since 2001, wasted no time jumping ahead in this one.
Outscored 29-5 over the previous four games, the Royals immediately grabbed the lead when Escobar drove the first pitch to the bleachers in left-center for his second home run. It was also his second career leadoff home run, both coming this season.
"We needed to have this win today," Royals Manager Ned Yost said. "We didn't want to take the five in a row. That's a much improved club over there. They've really got some nice young talented players."
Royals hitting coach Dale Sveum was back at Wrigley Field for the first time since he was fired as Cubs manager following the 2013 season. The ballpark, in the early stage of an overhaul, is looking different, with two large new video boards and new bleachers in the outfield.
"It's a little way from what you're used to, but in the long run I think it's going to be all right," he said.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
MARLINS 4, METS 3 Rookie Justin Bour hit a three-run home run to back Dan Haren, and Miami extended Matt Harvey’s winless streak to five starts by beating host New York.
REDS 5, NATIONALS 2 Washington’s Stephen Strasburg left after only 16 pitches, and Zack Cozart had three hits as Cincinnati rallied against the visiting Nationals’ bullpen for a victory.
ROCKIES 4, PHILLIES 1 Chad Bettis retired the first 18 batters and took a no-hitter into the eighth inning, Troy Tulowitzki hit two solo home runs and Colorado beat host Philadelphia.
CARDINALS 3, DODGERS 0 John Lackey worked seven scoreless innings and St. Louis got just enough off Mike Bolsinger (Arkansas Razorbacks) to beat visiting Los Angeles. Bolsinger (3-1) allowed 2 earned runs on 7 hits with 3 walks and 3 strikeouts in 6 innings.
DIAMONDBACKS 7, BREWERS 5 Nick Ahmed’s tiebreaking solo home run in the eighth inning lifted Arizona to a victory over host Milwaukee.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
ORIOLES 2, RAYS 1 J.J. Hardy’s single drove in the winning run with two outs in the ninth inning and host Baltimore beat Tampa Bay. RANGERS 7, RED SOX 4 Josh Hamilton homered in his first two at-bats, his first home runs since he belatedly began his major league season this week back with Texas, helping the Rangers beat visiting Boston.
BLUE JAYS 6, TWINS 4 Chris Colabello hit a two-run tiebreaking home run in the ninth inning, giving Mark Buehrle and Toronto a victory over host Minnesota.
WHITE SOX 6, ASTROS 3 (11) Geovany Soto hit a go-ahead, two-run double in the 11th inning and visiting Chicago beat Houston.
Sports on 05/30/2015