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Royals go for series win over Padres

May 7, 2014 - 2:31 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - James Shields tries to lead the Kansas City Royals to their first-ever series win in San Diego on Wednesday when they wrap up a three-game interleague set with the Padres at Petco Park.

Shields, though, will have to bounce back from one of the worst outings of his career his last time out. The veteran right-hander was pounded by the Detroit Tigers to the tune of eight runs (7 earned) and 12 hits in 6 1/3 innings to fall to 3-3 to go along with a 3.11 ERA.

Shields lost his only other start to the Padres, but all three of his wins this season have come on the road. In fact, he's 12-1 with a 1.82 ERA over his last 17 games away from home.

"Talk to me at the end of the season and I'll tell you what the home and away is. It's too early for that now," Shields said.

Kansas City earned its first-ever win in San Diego on Tuesday, as Alex Gordon's RBI single was part of a two-run 11th inning to propel the Royals to a 3-1 win.

Eric Hosmer led off the 11th with a double to left off Nick Vincent (0-1), then Gordon brought Hosmer home with a single through the hole on the right side.

Pinch-hitter Billy Butler crushed a double to right in the next at-bat that plated Gordon and gave the visitors a two-run cushion, as the Royals snapped a five-game overall losing streak.

Kansas City had lost all seven games it had played in San Diego.

"We knew that we were 0-7 in this place and we needed to change that," manager Ned Yost said. "Our pitching allowed us to do that tonight. ... It took us 11 innings to do it, but the pitching was tremendous."

Wade Davis (2-1) pitched two scoreless innings in relief to earn the win and Greg Holland made amends for blowing a save on Monday night by firing a scoreless 11th for his eighth save of the season.

Salvador Perez homered for Kansas City, which saw starter Jeremy Guthrie receive a no-decision after eight innings of one-run ball.

"The pitching was tremendous," said Royals manager Ned Yost. "(Guthrie) did a really nice job of changing speeds. Wade Davis came in with pure stuff. That was impressive."

Yasmani Grandal homered to account for San Diego's only run. Padres starter Robbie Erlin allowed one run on three hits over seven innings of work in the setback.

"He made pitches," said San Diego manager Bud Black on Erlin's performance. "That's just what we needed. He did what he needed to do with the state of our bullpen."

Getting the call for the Padres on Wednesday will be righty Andrew Cashner, who has lost his last three starts. Cashner's latest setback came on Friday against Arizona, as he surrendered two runs and four hits in six innings to fall to 2-4, despite a 2.72 ERA.

"I didn't think I did a very good job of a lot of stuff," said Cashner, who has never faced the Royals. "But I felt like I kept the team in the game, gave us a chance to win."

San Diego has managed just six hits for him in his last three starts, while failing to cross the plate his last two times out.