Royals rout Tigers, claim eighth victory in a row

ROYALS 16, TIGERS 2

DETROIT — Eric Hosmer matched his career high with five hits, including his first major league grand slam, and the Kansas City Royals extended their winning streak to a season-high eight games with a 16-2 rout of the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday night.

Hosmer entered with 117 homers but had not hit one with the bases loaded until he connected off Warwick Saupold in a nine-run seventh inning. Hosmer had six RBIs and scored four runs.

Bruce Rondon was ejected with one out in the ninth after hitting Mike Moustakas on the back with a pitch, which caused both benches to empty. Utilityman Andrew Romine entered in his third big league pitching appearance and faced five batters, allowing a walk, RBI single, sacrifice fly, hit batter and flyout.

Ian Kennedy (4-6) improved to 3-0 in his last six starts, allowing one run and three hits in six innings.

Anibal Sanchez (2-1) had his worst start since returning in midJune from a month-long demotion to the minor leagues. He allowed four runs and nine hits in 32/3 innings.

Hosmer reached on an infield single in the second, stole second and scored when Alcides Escobar singled on a 66 mph changeup. Kansas City made it 4-0 in the third on run-scoring singles by Jorge Bonifacio, Hosmer and Brandon Moss.

Jose Iglesias doubled in Detroit’s first run in the fifth, and Moustakas’ RBI single off Chad Bell sparked the big inning. Hosmer homered on a changeup, a drive over the out-oftown scoreboard, for a 13-1 lead.

RED SOX 4, MARINERS 0 Chris Sale pitched seven innings of three-hit ball, 20-yearold Rafael Devers became the youngest Boston player to hit a home run since Tony Conigliaro in September 1965 and the Red Sox beat the Seattle Mariners to stop a four-game losing streak. Sale (13-4) struck out 11, reaching double digits for the 14th time this season.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

CARDINALS 10, ROCKIES 5 Paul DeJong homered and Randal Grichuk had a career-high four hits as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Colorado Rockies to complete a three-game sweep. St. Louis has won four of five while Colorado has lost four of six.

INTERLEAGUE

YANKEES 9, REDS 5 Luis Severino (7-4) struck out nine over seven innings, allowing a pair of unearned runs and three hits as New York completed a two-game sweep. Didi Gregorius hit his fourth homer in three games and Todd Frazier hit his first homer for the Yankees, who have won consecutive series after going 0-8-2 in series after sweeping Baltimore from June 9-11. The Yankees have won eight of 12 following a 7-19 slide.

PHILLIES 9, ASTROS 0 Cameron Rupp hit two home runs and had four RBIs and Aaron Nola set a career high with 10 strikeouts over six innings to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a victory over the Houston Astros. Maikel Franco homered and doubled and Tommy Joseph had two doubles for the Phillies, who had 14 hits while setting season highs with five doubles and nine extra-base hits.

Wednesday’s games NATIONAL LEAGUE

Washington 8, Milwaukee 5 St. Louis 10, Colorado 5 Arizona 10, Atlanta 3

San Francisco 2, Pittsburgh 1 New York Mets at San Diego, (n)

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Toronto 3, Oakland 2 Tampa Bay 5, Baltimore 1 Kansas City 16, Detroit 2 Cleveland 10, LA Angels 4 Boston 4, Seattle 0

INTERLEAGUE

Chicago Cubs 8, Chicago White Sox 3 Philadelphia 9, Houston 0

NY Yankees 9, Cincinnati 5 Miami at Texas, (n) Minnesota at LA Dodgers, (n)