Giants 2 - 4 Royals
Final
  for this game

Butler, Royals top Giants

Aug 9, 2014 - 5:23 AM Kansas City, MO (SportsNetwork.com) - Billy Butler drove in the go-ahead run with a single in the sixth inning and the Kansas City Royals defeated the San Francisco Giants, 4-2, in the first of three games at Kauffman Stadium on Friday.

Butler also stroked a two-run homer and Alex Gordon hit an RBI single for the Royals, who won their fifth straight game and improved to a season-high eight games over .500.

"I think we're figuring out a way to win each night," said Butler.

Jason Frasor (3-1) earned the win after striking out two in a perfect sixth. Starter Jason Vargas gave up two runs on nine hits with five strikeouts in five innings of work.

Joaquin Arias supplied an RBI double and Matt Duffy went 2-for-4 with an RBI for San Francisco, which has dropped three of its last four.

Madison Bumgarner (13-9) was tagged with the loss after allowing four runs -- three earned -- on seven hits with five strikeouts across eight frames for his third complete game of the season.

"I was able to have some quick innings after the first," said Bumgarner. "I felt just as good there in eighth as I did early on."

Kansas City went ahead in the sixth. Omar Infante hit a one-out single and Salvador Perez reached on Michael Morse's throwing error before Butler's single into right gave the Royals the lead. Gordon followed with a base hit to left, making it a 4-2 game.

Greg Holland fired a 1-2-3 ninth with two strikeouts to earn his 100th career save and 33rd of the season.

Infante doubled with one out in the first and two batters later, Butler crushed a 2-2 fastball to left-center field for an early 2-0 Royals lead.

Arias doubled to left and Duffy singled to place runners at first and third to start the second. Vargas struck out Juan Perez and Brandon Crawford and got Angel Pagan to fly out to strand the runners.

The Giants tied the game in the third. Pablo Sandoval and Morse both singled before Arias stroked a two-out double to left, scoring Sandoval and Duffy followed with a single to right to make it a 2-2 game. Arias was thrown out at home by Nori Aoki to end the frame.

Game Notes

Kansas City improved to 12-4 this season against the National League ... It was the first time the Royals and Giants met in the regular season since 2008 ... The Royals lead the all-time series, 7-3 ... San Francisco finished 3- for-10 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base ... Bumgarner has five complete games in his career.






Related News