MIAMI — Alcides Escobar is the latest player to make an impact at the plate for the Kansas City Royals.
Escobar homered, doubled and drove in two runs to lead the surging Royals past the Miami Marlins 5-2 on Thursday night.
“Esky had a great game,” Royals Manager Ned Yost said. “Just had a great game. Defensively, offensively, the home run was big to give us a two-run lead at that point.”
Escobar is hitting .388 (19 for 49) with four doubles, a triple and a home run in his past 13 games.
Salvador Perez and Kendrys Morales also drove in runs for the Royals as the defending World Series champions have won 15 of 18 to pull within four games of the second AL wild-card spot.
“We’ve been playing great baseball as of late, but we definitely know we’re a long way from where we want to be,” Royals right fielder Lorenzo Cain said. “We have to continue hopefully winning series — that’s our main goal.”
Kansas City starter Edinson Volquez (10-10) pitched 5 innings and allowed 2 runs, both unearned, and 3 hits.
ROYALS 5, MARLINS 2
The Royals’ bullpen pitched four scoreless innings to push its franchise-record scoreless streak to 38 2/3 innings — the best in the majors since 2002-2003 when San Francisco pitched 391/3 consecutive.
“They’ve just been spectacular,” Yost said.
Kelvin Herrera pitched a flawless ninth for his ninth save in 11 chances.
Tom Koehler (9-9) allowed 4 runs, 3 earned, and 7 hits in 6 innings for the Marlins.
Kansas City went 4 for 28 with runners in scoring position and scored six runs during the three-game series, but left Miami with two victories.
The Marlins also struggled hitting with runners in scoring position during the series going 3 for 26 and leaving 24 men on base, including 11 on Thursday. The Marlins are 1½ games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the second NL wild card spot.
“We had a few chances, we didn’t have a ton, but we had a few chances but weren’t able to scratch,” Marlins Manager Don Mattingly said.
The Royals opened the scoring in the third on an RBI double by Perez after the Marlins elected to intentionally walk Eric Hosmer with first base open. 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.
“I was looking for a fastball on that pitch,” Escobar said. “[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.”
Third baseman Cuthbert had two doubles to go with two errors, one of which led to the Marlins’ two runs coming in the fourth to tie the game 2-2.
Sports on 08/26/2016