Seattle Mariners top Kansas City Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — James Paxton tied a Mariners’ record by winning his seventh straight start, and Seattle beat the Kansas City Royals 5-2 Friday night to move back over .500.

Paxton (12-3) did not allow a hit until Mike Moustakas’ single with one out in the fifth, and Brandon Moss’ two-out single ended Paxton’s scoreless streak at 21 innings.

Paxton gave up two runs and four hits in six innings with one walk, seven strikeouts and a pair of wild pitches. Scott Bankhead won seven straight starts in 1989 and Jamie Moyer in 2003.

David Phelps, Nick Vincent and Edwin Diaz each followed with a perfect inning as Seattle improved to 13-8 since the All-Star break. Diaz got his 22nd save in 26 chances.

Jason Hammel (5-9) gave up three runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Danny Valencia drove in Jean Segura with sacrifice flies in the first and eighth innings.

Paxton’s wild pitch in the sixth scored Whit Merrifield and gave Kansas City a 2-1 lead. Merrifield doubled and advanced to third on Lorenzo Cain’s single.

Guillermo Heredia’s tying double chased Hamel in a three-run seventh, and Jarrod Dyson and Leonys Martin hit RBI singles off Ryan Buchter.

Robinson Cano’s first-inning double was his 500th.

Mariners: DH Nelson Cruz was a late scratch with neck spasms . ... INF/OF Shawn O’Malley was activated from the 60-day DL and optioned to Triple-A Tacoma.