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 The Royals evened the score in the second game of a three-game
interleague series.
Alex Gordon singled home Eric Hosmer in the top of the 11th inning
to break a 1-1 tie and lead Kansas City to a 3-1 win at Petco Park.
Gordon, the Royals' left fielder, was hitless in 13 consecutive
at-bats before he grounded a single past second baseman Jedd Gyorko
and into right field off Padres right-handed reliever Nick Vincent.
"All I was thinking about was winning the game after losing that
(12-inning) game Monday," Gordon said.
San Diego over came three deficits Monday, including one in the 12th
inning, to emerge with a 6-5 win.
Hosmer, the Kansas City first baseman who homered off Vincent on
Monday night, opened the 11th with a double over the head of Padres
left fielder Seth Smith.
Pinch hitter Billy Butler followed Gordon's hit with a double over
the head of Padres right fielder Chris Denorfia to give the Royals a
two-run lead.
Right-hander Wade Davis (2-1) threw two scoreless innings to pick up
the win for the Royals, who snapped a season-worst, five-game losing
streak. It was also Kansas City's first win ever at Petco Park after
seven consecutive losses. Right-hander Greg Holland picked up his
eighth save.
Vincent (0-1) suffered the loss, which ended a two-game San Diego
winning streak.
A defensive gem by Padres first baseman Kyle Blanks in the top of
the ninth extended the game. Blanks threw out Royals shortstop
Alcides Escobar at the plate to complete a double play.
Escobar reached first with one out by legging out an infield single
to the right side. With center fielder Lorenzo Cain at the plate,
Escobar stole second and third on consecutive pitches by
right-hander Huston Street.
Cain then hit a high pop in foul territory down the right field line
behind first. Blanks made the catch, then threw a strike to the
plate to nail Escobar, who tagged up on the play.
"Kyle is a good defender," Padres manager Bud Black said. "That was
a tough play going backwards like that and throwing flatfooted. He
has a good arm."
Kansas City starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie held the Padres to one
run on four hits and a walk over eight innings. He walked one and
struck out two.
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"He was solid," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "We needed him to go
deep, and he did."
The score was tied 1-1 after six innings thanks to an exchange of
home runs by opposing catchers.
Yasmani Grandal put the Padres ahead with a 350-foot drive to right
in the fourth off Royals right-handed starter Jeremy Guthrie.
The home run was Grandal's second in as many nights, his third in
five games and his team-leading fourth of the season. The homer also
allowed Grandal to tie a Padres record with extra-base hits in six
consecutive games while catching. Terry Kennedy set the mark in
1983.
Salvador Perez pulled the Royals even when he led off the sixth with
a 352-foot drive down the line into the left field seats off Padres
left-handed starter Robbie Erlin.
A night after all seven members of the Padres bullpen worked in a
6-5, 12-inning win over the Royals, Erlin allowed one run on three
hits, four walks and a hit batter over seven innings. He fanned
five.
"Robbie pitched great," Black said. "He had the best curve we've
seen him throw."
NOTES: Padres 3B Chase Headley (1-for-3) and LF Carlos Quentin
(0-for-2 with a walk) made rehab starts Tuesday night for the Class
A Lake Elsinore. The Padres expect to activate Headley (right calf
strain) on Saturday, but aren't set on the 2014 debut of Quentin
(bone bruise left knee). ... San Diego CF Cameron Maybin missed
Tuesday's game after leaving Monday night in the seventh inning with
a stomach illness. ... Royals 2B Omar Infante doubled in the first
inning to end a 1-for-15 drought.
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