|
 The second baseman keyed two late two-out rallies for the torrid
Royals, who came from behind Tuesday night to beat the Colorado
Rockies 7-4.
The Royals, who have won 22 of their past 27 games, remain two games
ahead of the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central. The
Rockies (49-76) were trying to win a third consecutive game for the
first time since July 26.
Kansas City (70-55) scored three runs in both the seventh and eighth
innings.
Infante went 4-for-5 with four RBIs. He doubled home two runs in the
seventh inning, putting Kansas City on top 3-2, then scored on
catcher Salvador Perez's double.
"Omar's swing is so simple, it's not a lot of moving parts," said
Yost, who received a birthday cake from first base coach Rusty Kuntz
after the game. "He can get on a streak in a hurry."
Infante, the first batter Adam Ottavino faced in relief of starter
Tyler Matzek, doubled down the right field line on a 1-2 fastball in
the seventh. The ball kicked off the stands in foul territory and
shot back into play.
"I had thrown him two fastballs and a slider, and I was kind of
split on what to throw," Ottavino said. "I felt like I had a good
heater, and I was going to go up high with it. He did a good job,
but I could have thrown a better pitch."
Referring to Perez's double over the head of center fielder Drew
Stubbs on a 1-2 slider, Ottavino said, "I was trying to bounce a
breaking ball there. I had thrown him some sideways ones. I tried to
throw him an up-and-down one. The idea was to throw it in the dirt.
It didn't quite get there. I give him more credit, because he really
hammered a decent pitch."
The Royals added three more runs in the eighth to extend the margin
to 7-2. Pinch hitter Christian Colon drew a bases-loaded walk from
Rex Brothers, and Infante followed with a two-run double to left off
Nick Masset.
Royals starter James Shields (12-6) gave up two runs on nine hits in
six innings. In his past nine starts, he is 4-2 with a 2.04 ERA.
"It was a grind day," Shields said. "It was one of those days where
I didn't have my good stuff at all. You're going to go through days
like that, and you battle through it."
Center fielder Drew Stubbs made it 7-4 in the ninth with a two-run
homer off Francisley Bueno, who had hit right fielder Charlie
Blackmon with a pitch.
Third baseman Nolan Arenado, who homered off Shields in the fifth to
give the Rockies a 2-1 lead, reached on an infield hit and took
second when Perez pounced on his tapper about 20 feet in front of
the plate but threw the ball up the right field line.
Closer Greg Holland then replaced Bueno and got left fielder Corey
Dickerson to fly out, earning his major-league-leading 39th save.
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"I took a good swing," Dickerson said. "It was a two-seamer, moved a
little bit out, right as I was swinging. I caught it OK but kind of
towards the end of my bat and just kind of popped it up instead of
driving it."
Matzek (2-9) lost his fourth start in a row but pitched at least six
innings for the ninth time in 13 career starts. He yielded three runs on
six hits and three walks in 6 2/3 innings. He got 13 outs on ground
balls and retired the first two batters he faced in the seventh before
giving up a single to pinch hitter Josh Willingham and walking right
fielder Nori Aoki, the final batter he faced.
"He did a nice job tonight, getting deep into the game, so he's making
strides," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "We're seeing him develop in
front of our eyes."
Infante, the Royals' No. 2 hitter, tied his career high with three
doubles, which he did once before, 10 years ago. He went 1-for-18 in the
weekend series at Minnesota, finishing with nine hitless at-bats, but he
stepped up Tuesday, as someone always seems to do for the Royals during
their hot streak.
"It's not going to happen every night," Kansas City first baseman Billy
Butler said, "We realize that, but we're going to fight to the last out.
That's the way this team's always been, even when we weren't going good.
We have guys with a lot of heart in here that prepare well. We're not
going to do it every night, but we should ride it while we can."
NOTES: Colorado RF Michael Cuddyer was scratched from the lineup due to
left hamstring soreness. ... The Rockies selected the contract of OF/1B
Matt McBride from Triple-A Colorado Springs and optioned LHP Yohan
Flande. To make room on the 40-man roster for McBride, the Rockies
transferred SS Troy Tulowitzki to the 60-day disabled list. Tulowitzki
underwent season-ending surgery Friday to repair a torn labrum in his
left hip. ... Rockies 1B Justin Morneau returned the lineup after
missing both games of Sunday's doubleheader due to stiff neck. He went
0-for-4. ... Rockies 2B DJ LeMahieu was back in the lineup and went
hitless in four at-bats after not playing in the doubleheader after
rolling his left ankle Saturday. ... C Salvador Perez was back in the
Royals' lineup despite tweaking his right patellar tendon during
Monday's game at Minnesota. He finished 1-for-5.
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