Royals score 5 in first inning off Dodgers’ Julio Urías before holding on for 6-4 win
By DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals rudely welcomed Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías back from the injured list on Saturday night.
The AL Central bottom-dwellers had four hits off last year’s National League ERA leader in the first inning, and only one was a hard-hit ball. The Royals worked a 12-pitch walk, got a base when Matt Duffy was hit in the foot by a pitch, and managed a pair of sacrifice flies to get five runs across before Los Angeles even got to bat.
The Royals held on from there for a rain-delayed 6-4 victory, just their second in their last 10 games against the Dodgers.
“I was thinking, ‘I hope that doesn’t happen to me,'” Royals starter Daniel Lynch said of the parade of weakly hit singles that staked Kansas City to a 5-0 lead. “They’re bloopers but they’re still good at-bats. Hits are hits.”
Lynch (2-3) nearly gave all his support back when he allowed three runs in the second. But the left-hander settled down, eventually throwing 108 pitches to get through five innings. He allowed five hits and three walks with four strikeouts.
The Dodgers left the bases loaded in the eighth when Yonny Hernandez struck out and Freddie Freeman grounded out, and Scott Barlow got the final four outs for his 10th save while capping four innings of one-run ball by the Kansas City bullpen.
“The biggest thing was just staying relaxed,” Barlow said. “Do as much as you can to make quality pitches.”
Drew Waters and Salvador Perez drove in runs, and Edward Oliveras and Samad Taylor had sacrifice flies, as Urías (5-5) scuffled through his first game since hurting his hamstring on May 18. He lasted three innings and allowed six hits and two walks.
Urías struggled with both command and misfortune after a nearly 90 minute rain delay to start the game.
Maikel Garcia started the trouble for last year’s NL ERA leader with a double and Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez added bloopers to give Kansas City the lead. Nick Pratto followed by working a 12-pitch walk, and Oliveras hit a sacrifice fly that was caught by a backpedaling second baseman who couldn’t get enough on the throw home.
The big inning continued when Duffy was hit by a pitch and Taylor added his sacrifice fly. That scored the slow-footed Perez, who contorted his body around catcher Will Smith’s tag, and the Dodgers were so stunned by his slide that they allowed the remaining runners to advance. Waters followed with another blooper to make it 5-0.
“It was a frustrating inning. I think initially, Julio came out good but got victimized by a lot of soft contact,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Give him a lot of credit. He got up to 66 pitches and threw up a couple of zeros.”
The Dodgers similarly manufactured three runs off Lynch in the second but left a runner on base, then left runners on the corners in the third and another on base in the fifth as their comeback began to fizzle.
Their last chance came in the eighth, when pinch hitter Max Muncy got a single to first past Pratto, who later froze in indecision on James Outman’s grounder and allowed a run to score. Royals reliever Taylor Clarke came back to retire Hernandez, and Barlow walked Mookie Betts to load the bases before getting Freeman to ground out and end the inning.
“Scotty is one of our best relievers,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “That’s why I brought him in there.”
KERSHAW’S SHOULDER
Three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw walked off the field drenched in sweat after playing catch three hours before first pitch, and Roberts later said his session was “just OK.” Kershaw felt tenderness in his shoulder after a strong start Tuesday. He was given a shot to relieve inflammation Wednesday and is scheduled to face Pittsburgh on Monday.
TRANSACTIONS
Dodgers: LHP Justin Bruihl was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City to make space for Urías on the roster.
Royals: RHP Collin Snider was recalled from Triple-A Omaha and Brooks Kriske was optioned to the same club. The Royals needed some depth out of the bullpen and Quatraro said that Snider is capable of going multiple innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: IF/OF Chris Taylor (right knee) will not return before the All-Star break, Roberts said. Taylor left a game against the Giants on June 16 with soreness before a pair of pinch-hitting appearances, the last of them coming on June 21.
Royals: RHP Jordan Lyles (illness) returned to the ballpark Saturday and the club is waiting to see how he feels before deciding whether he makes his next start. Lyles is scheduled to face the Twins on Wednesday.
UP NEXT
Dodgers RHP Tony Gonsolin (4-2, 3.30 ERA) will start their final road game before the All-Star break on Sunday. RHP Brady Singer (4-7, 5.88) will start for the Royals, who then head on the road for seven games leading into the break.
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