• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Greinke stellar again as Royals top Mariners

Apr 15, 2008 - 6:09 AM SEATTLE (Ticker) -- Zack Greinke tossed his third career complete game and Billy Butler and Miguel Olivo each homered in the second inning as the Kansas City Royals posted a 5-1 triumph over the Seattle Mariners on Monday.

Greinke (3-0), who threw just 107 pitches in his first complete game since 2005, allowed one run and five hits with a walk and four strikeouts. His effort followed a three-hit complete game by Brian Bannister in a 5-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Sunday.

"It was good to see our starting pitchers go back-to-back complete games," Royals manager Trey Hillman said. "Zack did a great job out there tonight. He did what he needed to do and hopefully continues to do."

Butler led off the second with his first home run of the season and Olivo blasted a two-run shot later in the frame to provide Kansas City with a 3-0 margin.

"Once we got three (runs) you really have some room to work with and you really get a lot more comfortable out there," Greinke said.

Butler, who has now hit safely in all 13 games this season, sent a 1-1 offering from Jarrod Washburn (1-2) over the left-center field wall. Jose Guillen doubled and Alex Gordon struck out before Olivo connected on his first homer of the season.

It was plenty of offense for Greinke, who has surrendered just two runs over his first three starts.

"Greinke came as advertised," Mariners manager John McLaren said. "We knew he was one of the best young pitchers in the league and we saw it. Tonight was about Greinke. He gave up one run and I think his ERA probably went up."

After allowing Brad Wilkerson to score on Ichiro Suzuki's groundout, Greinke retired 14 of the next 15 batters he faced. The only hit he allowed over that span - a single by Ichiro - was immediately followed by a double play.

"I've had more double plays in the first three games this season than I think I had all last season," Greinke said. "And when that happens nobody gets into scoring position and the defense is really on their toes."

Royals catcher John Buck thinks the best is yet to come for the young righty.

"I think he is just learning about himself and tapping into some of his talent," Buck said. "I think he is one of those pitchers who can be very dominant and is just now getting into what he can do."

The 24-year-old Greinke received a little help in the eighth from left fielder Mark Teahen, who took a two-run homer away from Yuniesky Betancourt with a leaping catch at the wall.

Olivo, who had three hits, also scored a run in the seventh on David DeJesus' sacrifice fly and Buck added an RBI single in the eighth to make it 5-1.

Washburn pitched six innings, yielding three runs and six hits with six strikeouts. He was making his first start at home this year, but he fell to 0-7 at Safeco Field since his last victory there on June 29, 2007.

"Wash did pretty good," Mariners first baseman Richie Sexson said. "We felt like we could still win the game if we would get (Greinke) into a tough situation and have somebody get a big hit."