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Royals seek sweep of Brewers in KC

Jun 14, 2012 - 3:02 PM (Sports Network) - The Kansas City Royals can register their first sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers since the teams became interleague rivals tonight, when they meet in the finale of a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium.

The Royals are 10-10 against the Brewers since they began playing across league barriers in 1998. Milwaukee won 2-1 verdicts in series in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2007, while Kansas City held 2-1 edges in 2001 and 2006.

Kansas City made it 2-0 in 2012 on Wednesday night, when Mike Moustakas worked a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the 11th inning to provide a 4-3 win.

Kameron Loe (2-2) allowed a leadoff single to Billy Butler, walked Eric Hosmer then Jeff Francoeur singled to load the bases. Jose Veras was called upon, but Moustakas' patience at the plate scored Butler with the winning run.

Tim Collins (3-0) threw a scoreless relief inning for the win.

Alcides Escobar hit a game-tying two-run triple in the ninth for the Royals, who'd entered the series on a four-game skid.

"It's the stuff we needed. It really starts with Escobar hitting that triple that tied the game," Moustakas said. "That's where we won that ballgame."

Starter Jonathan Sanchez, who was activated from the 15-day disabled list, scattered seven hits and one run over five innings.

Ryan Braun and Aramis Ramirez drove in a run each for the Brewers, who have dropped three of four.

Randy Wolf took the hill for Milwaukee, going seven innings and limiting the hosts to six hits and one run.

The Brewers follow Wolf's start with 30-year-old Kansas City native Shaun Marcum, who aims for a fourth consecutive win.

The former Toronto Blue Jay, in his second season with Milwaukee, was 2-3 on the season after a 6-4 loss to San Francisco on May 22, but has since reeled off wins over the Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh and San Diego.

In the wins, he's allowed five runs on 17 hits across 19 2/3 innings and lowered his earned run average from 3.93 to 3.50.

In eight career meetings with his hometown team, Marcum is 3-1 with a stingy 1.58 ERA, having allowed just seven earned runs in 40 innings and a .179 batting average.

Kansas City replies with former No. 1 overall draft pick Luke Hochevar, who looks for his first win of any kind since early May and his first at home since last season.

The top pick in the 2006 draft out of Tennessee was 3-3 after tossing seven scoreless innings against the Chicago White Sox on May 12, but is 0-4 in five subsequent starts.

In his last outing, he allowed four runs on nine hits in six innings of a 4-2 defeat in Pittsburgh.

He's made five starts this spring at Kauffman Stadium and is also 0-4 with a bloated 10.23 ERA in 22 innings.

Hochevar has never faced the Brewers.

This is Milwaukee's first trip to Kansas City since 2006, but the Brewers took two of three from the Royals the last time the teams met in 2007.