By MATT PIKE
The Kansas City Royals had a winning road trip following another rough homestand where they won just one game, beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-0 on Sunday afternoon for a series win, finishing the road trip between Seattle and Arizona with a 4-3 record.
Recently named American League All Star Bobby Witt Jr opened the scoring for the Royals in the shutout win with a solo home run to left field, his 12th of the season. After a flyout by Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Perez extended the lead with a solo home run of his own, also going to left center field for his 10th of the season, putting Kansas City up 2-0.
The Royals scored their final two runs in the fifth inning, John Rave singling home Jac Caglianone, after Caglianone led the inning off being hit by a pitch and stealing second base for his first major league stolen base. Nick Loftin who singled in the inning moved to third base on the hit by Rave, and scored on a single by Kyle Isbel for the final run giving Kansas City the 4-0 lead.
Michael Lorenzen pitched a gem in the finale, earning the win and improving to 5-8 on the season, pitching seven innings and giving up just two hits in the shutout effort, striking out seven and walking one. At the plate, Isbel was 2-for-4 with an RBI, Pasquantino was also 2-for-4 with two doubles. Perez was 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.
Also announced during the game was that Royals starting pitcher Kris Bubic will join Witt Jr in Atlanta, Georgia for the All Star Game. Bubic has 107 strikeouts in 103 1/3 innings, and his 2.36 ERA this season ranks fifth-best among AL starters. Bubic earned AL Pitcher of the Month honors back in May with a 0.56 ERA.
Kansas City now will return to Kauffman Stadium, again hoping for better luck, taking welcoming in Pittsburgh. Noah Cameron (2-4, 2.56 ERA) makes the start for the Royals against Andrew Heaney (4-7, 4.16 ERA) for the Pirates. First pitch is at 6:40pm, pregame coverage starts at 6 on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).
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