By MATT PIKE
The Kansas City Royals started a new month off the right way as Lane Thomas hit a grand slam in the first inning and Luinder Avila pitched a career-high five innings, helping the Royals snap a six-game skid with a 9-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.
Reds starting pitcher Lyon Richardson made his fifth career start after Chase Burns, who has a 1.96 ERA in 11 starts, was scratched due to illness. Richardson lasted just one inning, issuing two walks and hitting a batter before allowing Thomas' third career grand slam, with two outs, that gave the Royals a 4-0 lead as Carter Jensen, Bobby Witt Jr., and Jac Caglianone scored.
JJ Bleday hit a solo home run, his 10th of the season and third in four games, in the first inning to make the score 4-1. In the fifth inning, the Royals extended the lead with one out, Cagilianone hitting his sixth home run of the season, a two run shot that drove in Witt Jr who doubled to lead off the inning to push the Kansas City lead to 6-1.
The Royals added solo runs in the seventh and eighth innings. In the seventh, Nick Loftin walked to lead off the inning, then with two outs Witt Jr was intentionally walked before Vinnie Pasquantino singled to score Loftin and extend the lead. In the eighth, Kansas City got another home run, with two outs Michael Massey hitting a solo home run, homering in back-to-back games, to give the Royals an 8-1 lead.
A sacrifice fly by Loftin, driving in Thomas scored the final run for the Royals. Cincinnati added their final run in the bottom half of the ninth inning off Kansas City reliever Eli Morgan, with two outs, after Edwin Arroyo singled and then scored on a double by Matt McLain. Morgan walked Will Benson with two outs, but then struck out Bleday to end the game.
Avila improved to 1-2 on the season, making his second career start, allowing one run on two hits with four walks with a career-high five strikeouts on 86 pitches, also a career high. At the plate, Thomas was 3-for-5 with a home run, double, and four RBI's, coming a triple shy of the cycle. Massey was also 3-for-5 with a home run and an RBI.
Kansas City and Cincinnati continue their series tomorrow. Noah Cameron (2-4, 4.61 ERA, 48K's) is set to take the mound for the Royals opposes by Andrew Abbott (4-3, 3.88 ERA, 42K's) for the Red's. First pitch will be at 6:10pm, with pregame at 5:30 on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.