Royals End Losing Streak At Expense Of Cubs
CHICAGO (AP) -- Lorenzo Cain hit a tiebreaking RBI double and scored in a three-run eighth inning, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago Cubs, 8-4, on Friday to snap a four-game losing streak.
Alcides Escobar homered on the game's first pitch. Alex Gordon and Salvador Perez also went deep, and the Royals came out on top after squandering a 4-1 lead.
Mike Moustakas walked leading off the eighth against Pedro Strop (1-3). Cain then drove him in with a double to the base of the wall in right-center and the Royals scored two more thanks to an error by center fielder Dexter Fowler with two out and Justin Grimm pitching.
Fowler dropped Omar Infante's liner trying to make a shoestring catch with runners on first and second, then fell trying to pick up the ball. Cain and Eric Hosmer scored, making it 7-4, and the Royals got back to winning after a three-game sweep by the Yankees in New York.
Edinson Volquez was sailing along before Chicago's Jorge Soler chased him with a two-run homer with two out in the sixth, making it 4-3.
Kelvin Herrera (1-1) gave up a tying solo drive to Addison Russell in the seventh but picked up the win. Wade Davis struck out the side in the eighth and Greg Holland worked the ninth.
Volquez was in line to win his third straight start before the late rally. The right-hander allowed three runs and six hits, struck out a season-high nine and walked one.
Jake Arrieta lasted seven innings, allowing four runs and eight hits. He struck out five without a walk.
Kansas City, making its first appearance at Wrigley Field since 2001, wasted no time jumping ahead in this one.
Outscored 29-5 over the previous four games, the Royals immediately grabbed the lead when Escobar drove the first pitch to the bleachers in left-center for his second home run. It was also his second career leadoff homer, both coming this season.
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