By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
The Kansas City Royals poured on the runs through the first five innings, crushing the Cincinnati Reds 13-1 at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati on Saturday.
The scoring started in the first inning with a sacrifice fly from Salvador Perez, scoring Maikel Garcia. Then in the second inning Dairon Blanco hit his second home run of the season to center field, a two run shot that scored Freddy Fermin and put Kansas City up 3-0 at the end of two innings.
The Royals opened up the scoring in the third with a seven run frame. Fermin walked with the bases loaded for the first run before a single from Paul DeJong would bring across Perez. Blanco's second home run of the game, and his first career grand slam, would unload the bases to put the Royals up 9-0.
A double from Vinnie Pasquantino would end the scoring in the third inning, bringing home Bobby Witt Jr.
Blanco's big afternoon would continue in the fourth inning, singling to score Fermin and driving in his seventh run of the game. Garcia would add another run in the inning on a sacrifice fly to drive in Garrett Hampson. The Royals final run in the fifth came when DeJong reached on a fielding error and Pasquatino came across home plate.
The Reds lone run of the game was in the bottom of the seventh off of reliever Angel Zerpa, a home run from third baseman Jeimer Candelario.
Starting pitcher Michael Wacha earned the win pitching six shutout innings, striking out nine and giving up four hits. Blanco led the way hitting going 3 for 5 with two home runs and seven RBI's.
Kansas City wraps up the series with the Reds in Cincinnati on Sunday. Brady Singer is scheduled to start the finale against Andrew Abbott for the Reds. First pitch is at 12:40pm with pregame at noon on KFEQ.