KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Billy Butler homered to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning and the Kansas City Royals outlasted the Seattle Mariners 8-7 on Wednesday night. Butler hit a 1-1 pitch from Josh Kinney (0-1) out to left center for his 18th homer. Butler went 3-for-3 and walked twice. Greg Holland (4-2) pitched a perfect ninth for the win. Lorenzo Cain, who had a pinch-hit homer Tuesday, homered in the fifth inning with Butler aboard. Cain, who also singled and scored in the Royals’ three-run second inning, is 10-for-20 in his six-game hitting streak. Royals starter Bruce Chen, who had an 11.85 ERA while giving up 24 hits and 18 runs in 13 2-3 innings in his past three starts, gave up four runs and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings, walking none and striking out six. Chen gave up a solo home run to Kyle Seager in the second and a two-run shot to Casper Wells in the fourth.
