Miami, FL (AP) – One run was all it took for the Royals to beat the Marlins. Yordano Ventura escaped two threats while pitching six innings, and the Kansas City Royals extended their winning streak to nine games by beating the Miami Marlins 1-0 last night. Kansas City has now won five straight on the road.
Ventura (9-9), who reached 101 mph on the scoreboard radar gun, allowed six hits and one walk while striking out six. Royals starters have an ERA of 1.69 during the winning streak, Kansas City’s longest since June 2014.
Three relievers closed out the win and extended the bullpen’s streak of 32 consecutive shutout innings since Aug. 10. Matt Strahm had a one hit, 2 strikeout seventh. Joakim Soria had the 8th and Kelvin Herrera pitched a perfect ninth for his eighth save.
The Royals won with six hits. They scored the lone run in the sixth when Paulo Orlando led off with a single, stole second and came home on Cain’s single.
The Royals played in Miami for the first time since 2008, and it was Eric Hosmer’s first game in his hometown. He went 0 for 3 with a walk.
The Marlins had won three straight but were shut out despite totaling seven hits. They went 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position.
Injury: Jason Vargas, who is coming back from Tommy John surgery, made his first Triple-A rehab start Monday and allowed three runs in three innings for Omaha.
Tonight: RHP Jose Fernandez (12-7, 3.05) is scheduled to start Wednesday for Miami against RHP Dillon Gee (5-6, 4.52). In his past four starts, Fernandez is 0-3 with an ERA of 6.00.
First pitch tonight is 6:10, pregame at 5:30 on KMAN.
AL Central Standings
Cleveland 72-52 (Lost to Oakland 9-1)
Detroit 66-59 6.5 (Beat the Twins 8-3)
Kansas City 65-60 7.5
Chicago 60-64 12 (Beat the Phillies 9-1)
Minnesota 49-76 23.5
