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Royals use balanced attack to beat Cubs

Jun 26, 2011 - 9:26 PM Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Alex Gordon led a balanced attack, going 2- for-4 with a double and an RBI, as the Kansas City Royals downed the Chicago Cubs, 6-3, in the rubber match of a three-game set.

Spurred by a four-run first inning, the Royals, who downed the Cubs 3-2 on Saturday to halt a six-game skid, saw six different players tally an RBI.

The early cushion proved enough for Luke Hochevar (5-8), who allowed three runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out five over 5 2/3 innings.

Geovany Soto belted his second home run in as many games and added an RBI double, but it wasn't enough, as the Cubs dropped their seventh consecutive interleague series.

Randy Wells (1-2) was knocked around for six runs and 10 hits over six-plus innings to take the loss. Chicago has lost six of its last eight games.

The Royals began the game with five consecutive hits. Melky Cabrera reached on a leadoff bunt before Eric Hosmer and Billy Butler each laced singles to score Cabrera and leave runners at the corners.

Gordon then hit a catchable line drive to Starlin Castro's left. The ball deflected off Castro's glove and rolled into center, allowing Hosmer to score and Gordon to hustle into second with a double. Jeff Francoeur's single to right plated Butler, giving the Royals a 3-0 lead, before Mike Moustakas walked to load the bases with nobody down. Matt Treanor's sac fly plated Gordon, but the inning came to screeching halt as Alcides Escobar swung through strike three and Soto fired to third to catch Francoeur stealing.

Soto, who went 3-for-3, led off the third with a blast into the seats in left to get the Cubs on the board.

Poised to respond in their next at bat, the Royals placed runners at the corners with two down. They attempted a double steal but Soto's throw to second was cut off on the infield grass by Castro and returned home in time to nab Gordon.

The Cubs pulled within a run in the fourth, as Reed Johnson belted a two-out double off the top of the left-field wall and came around to score on Blake DeWitt's single. After an Alfonso Soriano walk, Soto looped a ball down the right field line to plate DeWitt.

The Royals got both runs back during the home half. With one out and Treanor on second, Chris Getz singled up the middle. The ball was deflected by Castro as Treanor came around to score. Getz advanced to second on the throw home and, after a Cabrera fly out, crossed the plate himself on a Hosmer single to left-center.

Hochevar allowed runners to reach the corners with two down in the sixth and was promptly pulled from the game. Louis Coleman spelled Hochevar and walked Soto to load the bases before striking out his former LSU teammate D.J. LeMahieu to end the inning.

Joakim Soria faced the minimum in the ninth to record his 13th save of the season.

Game Notes

The Cubs have dropped their last seven interleague series since taking two of three from Oakland, June 15-17 of last season...Wells was originally selected by the Cubs as a catcher in the 38th round of the 2002 draft...Coleman and LeMahieu were both members of LSU's college world series-winning team of 2009. They faced each other in the majors for the first time on Sunday...Gordon extended his hit streak to 13 games.