KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)– No manager in Kansas City Royals’ history has won as many games as Ned Yost.
The latest win came Thursday night when Alcides Escobar had three hits and Jeremy Guthrie pitched six effective innings as the Royals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 3-2.
With the victory, Yost surpassed Whitey Herzog as the winningest manager in franchise history with 411 wins. Earlier in the month Yost moved past Dick Howser, who managed the Royals to their only World Series championship in 1985.
“It’s nice, but again I don’t look at it as an individual achievement,” Yost said “First of all, I don’t feel like I’m in the same class as Whitey Herzog and Dick Howser, one. Two, this is an organizational-wide achievement and I’m proud to be part of that. Everybody is involved.”
Yost said general manager Dayton Moore could have fired him “two or three times, but didn’t.” Yost has a 411-427 record as Royals manager.
Escobar doubled to lead off the Royals’ two-run first then scored on Lorenzo Cain’s sacrifice fly. Escobar singled in the second, stole second base and scored on Mike Moustakas’ two-out single.
Kendrys Morales’ two-out single in the first drove in Eric Hosmer, who had doubled, with the other Royals’ run.
Guthrie (5-4) picked up his first victory since May 20, allowing two runs and seven hits, walked none and struck out four.
Relievers Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Greg Holland held the Brewers to one hit over the final three innings.
“I hated taking Jeremy out of that ball game after six, but when you’ve got a one-run lead and a fresh Herrera, Davis and Holland down there, the decision was easy,” Yost said.
Davis pitched out of a bases loaded, one-out jam in the eighth. He retired Adam Lind on a foul popup then struck out Scooter Gennett looking.
Holland, who gave up three runs, four hits and a walk at Milwaukee on Monday, worked the ninth to earn his 12th save in 13 opportunities.
The Brewers got all their runs in the fifth on Gerardo Parra’s sacrifice fly and Jonathan Lucroy’s two-out RBI single.
Brewers starter Jimmy Nelson (3-8) surrendered three runs and a career-high 11 hits in five innings. In his past two starts, Nelson has allowed 21 hits and 10 runs in 10 innings.
“Right now I’m discouraged because we lost,” Nelson said. “I don’t care how many hits I give up as long as we win. It’s hard to think about anything good right now after a loss.”
