Royals 6, Astros 2
HOUSTON -- Ian Kennedy carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning and the Kansas City Royals erupted for five runs in the sixth to defeat the Houston Astros 6-2 on Thursday at Minute Maid Park.
The Royals (7-2) claimed the final three games of the series and parlayed their usual brand of clustered hitting into a runaway win. Kansas City batted around in the sixth, with six consecutive players recording hits to chase Astros right-hander Doug Fister (1-1).
Kennedy (2-0) produced a second quality start in his second appearance for the Royals, working seven innings and allowing one run on two hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. Astros second baseman Jose Altuve struck the lone blow against Kennedy with a lead-off home run in the seventh inning, his third of the season.
Despite issuing a leadoff walk to Colby Rasmus in the second inning, Kennedy faced the minimum through five.
Lorenzo Cain played a key role in supporting the early no-hit bid with excellent defense in center field, but Kennedy was sharp in his own right. He didn't allow a base hit until Carlos Gomez opened the sixth by dumping a single into center.
Left-hander Danny Duffy pitched a clean eighth inning but needed closer Wade Davis to clean up his mess in the ninth. Duffy allowed three hits in the final frame, including a run-scoring, infield single from Carlos Correa.
Davis induced a game-inning double play off the bat of Colby Rasmus to notch his fourth save and snuff the Astros (3-7) rally.
Things fell apart for Fister and the Astros with two outs in the sixth inning when right fielder George Springer lost a sinking line drive off the bat of Cain in the new LED lights installed during the offseason.
Springer struggled tracking balls previously, both during this homestand and when the Astros hosted the Milwaukee Brewers for a pair of exhibition games at Minute Maid Park to close spring training.
With Paulo Orlando on first base and the Royals leading 1-0, Springer pursued the Cain hit and pulled up at the last second, awkwardly turning his back and blindly extending his glove. The ball dropped in front of Springer, and Cain advanced to second base on a throw in that kept Orlando at third. Eric Hosmer followed with a two-run double.
Kendrys Morales and Alex Gordon added run-scoring doubles before Salvador Perez chased Fister with an RBI single for a 6-0 Royals lead.
Fister was one out away from escaping the sixth with a one-run deficit. Instead, he allowed six runs on nine hits with two strikeouts over 85 pitches. Before Orlando opened the sixth with a single, Fister had retired 13 consecutive batters and appeared poised to match Kennedy.
NOTES: Astros manager A.J. Hinch considered pinch-hitting DH Evan Gattis on Wednesday night and was poised to insert Gattis into the game as the catcher. Gattis participated in catching drills for a second time Thursday as he ramps up preparations for occasionally working behind the plate. Gattis did not catch for the Astros last season, his first in Houston. ... Royals RHP Joakim Soria went 1,674 days between saves as a member of the organization before posting his 161st with the Royals on Wednesday night. Previously, his last save for Kansas City came Sept. 11, 2011, at Seattle. ... Astros RHP Michael Feliz started for Triple-A Fresno on Thursday, and the club remains committed to making him a starter long term. Feliz has made six career appearances with the Astros, all out of the bullpen, including a 4 1/3-inning relief stint on April 6 in a 16-6 loss to the Yankees.