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Montero leads Mariners over Royals

Jul 29, 2012 - 12:04 AM

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Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - Jesus Montero went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer to lead the Seattle Mariners to a 4-3 win over the Kansas City Royals in the third installment of a four-game set at Safeco Field.

Casper Wells had two hits and scored once and Miguel Olivo drove in a run for the Mariners, winners in three straight, and four of five overall.

Kevin Millwood (4-8) got the win after giving up just one unearned run on six hits over 6 1/3 innings. The 37-year-old right-hander struck out three and walked one in the victory.

"Kevin threw the ball great today. He did a great job with his fastball, used both sides of the plate, he was strong, started mixing his breaking pitches in later in the ball game, and he's been very consistent for us," Seattle manager Eric Wedge said. "It was good to get him a win. We've had a tough time getting him a win as good as he's been pitching so I was glad to get him a win."

Billy Butler went 3-for-3 with a RBI and Alcides Escobar had two hits, including a triple, and drove in a run for the Royals, who have lost four in a row.

Bruce Chen (7-9) was pegged with the loss after giving up three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts over six innings.

"We're much better than we're playing right now and we're trying to do everything we can to get out of this funk," Chen said. "We can't panic, you just have to do it one step at a time and, I know I lost to day, but it was a step in the right direction."

The Royals took a 1-0 lead in the first. Escobar reached on a bunt single and took second on a throwing error by Kyle Seager. Butler dropped a single into right to score Escobar.

Seattle scored three in the third to go up 3-1. Wells singled before Montero homered one batter later. Seager followed with a double then scored on Olivo's base hit.

Kansas City cut it to 3-2 in the eighth. Alex Gordon doubled then scored on Escobar's triple.

Michael Saunders and Montero worked walks and Seager reached on a bunt to load the bases in the eighth with no outs. After John Jaso grounded into a force out at the plate, Mike Carp delivered with a sacrifice fly to score Chone Figgins, who replaced Montero on the bases, to make it 4-2. Royals reliever Greg Holland struck out Trayvon Robinson to end the threat.

The Royals added a run in the ninth but stranded the tying run on third to end the game. Eric Hosmer singled before advancing to second on a defensive indifference. Lorenzo Cain tripled to plate Hosmer but Tom Wilhemlmsen was able to get Gordon to ground out to end the game.

Game Notes

51 of the Mariners 103 games this season have been decided by two runs or fewer...Montero is 15-for-23 with two homers in six games against Kansas City this season. He has recorded a multi-hit game in every matchup...Chen went 0-3 over six starts in July...Kansas City is just 4-16 since the All-Star break.






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