KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Luinder Avila struck out a career-high seven and Nick Loftin hit a tiebreaking RBI single as the Kansas City Royals beat the San Francisco Giants 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Avila (5-3) allowed five hits and two runs in 6 1/3 innings. It was the longest outing in 10 career starts for the 24-year-old right-hander. Matt Strahm, John Schreiber and Alex Lange worked hitless innings of relief. Lange struck out two in the ninth inning and earned his ninth save.
Giants starter Tyler Mahle (2-9) struck out four and allowed five hits and three earned runs in five innings.
Carter Jensen opened the scoring with a solo homer in the bottom of the third. It was Jensen’s 14th homer of the season and the fifth straight game that the Royals have homered.
San Francisco’s Jesus Rodriguez doubled with two out in the fifth and scored on a single by Drew Gilbert. Gilbert advanced on a single by Christian Koss and scored when Royals shortstop Tyler Tolbert bobbled a grounder off the bat of Heliot Ramos.
Kansas City’s Isaac Collins walked leading off the sixth and advanced when Sam Hentges hit Salvador Perez with a pitch. Vinnie Pasquantino extended his hitting streak to 16 games with an RBI single to center that tied the game. Loftin then put the Royals ahead to stay with a bases-loaded single.
Pasquantino and Loftin each went 2 for 3.
Royals right fielder Jac Caglianone left after the fifth inning with right shoulder soreness. He was 0 for 2 with a groundout and a strikeout before being replaced by Isaac Collins.
Up next
Giants RHP Landen Roupp (7-8, 3.98 ERA) starts Wednesday against Royals RHP Seth Lugo (3-6, 4.39).
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