Vinnie Pasquantino went 3-for-5 with two home runs and six RBIs on Friday, propelling the Kansas City Royals to a 9-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix.
Kris Bubic (7-6) allowed three runs on seven hits in seven innings, striking out six and walking three for the Royals, who have won three of four after a 1-8 stretch to end June. Bobby Witt Jr. added three hits, two runs and an RBI in the win.
Arizona starter Eduardo Rodriguez (3-5) permitted a career-high-tying nine runs (eight earned) on a career-high 12 hits in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out seven and walked none. Eugenio Suarez belted his 28th home run of the season for the Diamondbacks, who have lost three straight and seven of nine.
Kansas City led 3-0 before an out was recorded. Jonathan India was hit by a pitch, Witt singled and Pasquantino blasted a homer to right field.
Arizona cut into the deficit in the bottom of the first. Ketel Marte led off with a single and Geraldo Perdomo walked before Lourdes Gurriel Jr. advanced both runners with a groundout. Suarez drove in the Diamondbacks’ first run with a sacrifice fly, and Josh Naylor followed with an RBI single to make it 3-2.
The Royals added three more runs in the second. Freddy Fermin and John Rave singled before India reached on a fielding error by second baseman Marte. Witt and Pasquantino singled to drive in a run apiece, and Salvador Perez’s RBI groundout extended the Royals’ advantage to 6-2.
In the fourth, Pasquantino hit his second home run of the game and 14th of the season, a two-run shot, to give the Royals an 8-2 lead.
Kansas City’s Mark Canha began the fifth with his first home run of the year, pushing the margin to seven runs. Two batters later, Rodriguez was replaced by John Curtiss, who threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
The Diamondbacks got one run back in the sixth on Suarez’s home run to left.
Daniel Lynch IV and Sam Long each threw a scoreless inning in relief to seal Kansas City’s victory.
–Field Level Media
