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Padres rally past Royals in extras

May 6, 2014 - 6:25 AM San Diego, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Jedd Gyorko's ninth-inning homer forced extras and Will Venable's two-run double in the 12th helped the San Diego Padres take the opener of this three-game set with a 6-5 win over the Kansas City Royals.

The score was tied at 4-4 through 11 innings, but the Royals briefly went in front with a run in the top of the 12th. Salvador Perez roped a one-out double into right-center off Tim Stauffer (1-0), who then fanned Alex Gordon for the second out. Mike Moustakas, who came on as a defensive replacement in the eighth, came through with a single to right, allowing Perez to sprint home just before Chris Denorfia's throw reached the plate.

Louis Coleman started the home half of the 12th for Kansas City and issued a leadoff single to Denorfia. Tim Collins (0-2) took his place on the mound. Alexi Amarista moved Denorfia to second with a sacrifice bunt, Yonder Alonso dropped a single into left in front of a diving Gordon and Venable ended it with a ground-rule double over the wall in right center.

"Honestly, I'm just trying to put the ball in play," said Venable, who enjoyed his fourth career game-winning hit.

The Royals led 3-0 through 5 1/2 innings before Yasmani Grandal's three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth tied it. Eric Hosmer put Kansas City back in front a half inning later, lifting a Nick Vincent offering over the wall in right field -- just beyond Venable's outstretched glove -- for his first home run of the season.

Greg Holland took the hill in the ninth looking to nail down his 17th consecutive save dating back to last season, but Gyorko forced extra innings with his one-out blast to left.

Hosmer drove in three runs for Kansas City, which dropped its fifth straight game despite recording a season-high 16 hits. Lorenzo Cain had four hits while Hosmer and Perez each had three. Alcides Escobar finished with two hits and two stolen bases in the setback.

Twenty-two-year-old rookie Yordano Ventura allowed three runs in six innings for the Royals, posting a career-high 10 strikeouts. He also singled and scored in the fifth inning for both his first major league hit and run.

Ventura responded to surrendering Grandal's three-run shot by fanning the side in his final inning of work.

San Diego starter Eric Stults was tagged for three runs on 11 hits over 4 2/3 frames for the Padres. Seth Smith doubled and tripled for the home team.

Perez opened the second inning with a double and scored two batters later when Danny Valencia laced an RBI single into left field.

The Royals made it 3-0 in the fifth, as Hosmer plated two runs with an RBI single up the middle. Ventura and Norichika Aoki had back-to-back singles to start the frame, and both runners advanced on Omar Infante's fly to deep left.

Game Notes

Ventura's ERA through six starts and 36 innings is 2.00, which ranks him among the leaders in the American League ... Kansas City's staff combined to record a season-high 14 strikeouts ... The Royals hit just 4-for-16 with runners in scoring position and left 11 men on base.