After having gone through a four game losing streak last week, the Kansas City Royals are suddenly back on the right track heading into Opening Day, as today they picked up a 7-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants.
The Royals got five great innings out of pitcher Jeff Francis, who gave up just one run on six hits. The lone run came in the fifth, courtesy of a Mike Fontenot sacrifice fly. Francis also struck out six, while walking none. He finished the spring with a 3.60 ERA.
Kansas City took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning on a Billy Butler RBI single, and then Wilson Betemit hit a three-run home run to center to make it 4-0 through four. Betemit was 2-for-3 with a walk on the afternoon.
After the Royals added a run in the sixth, the Giants score two in the seventh on a two-run home run by Juan Perez off Nathan Adcock. Adcock went two innings giving up two runs on two hits.
Alex Gordon hit his fifth home run of the spring in the eighth off former Royal Ramon Ramirez to give Kansas City a 7-3 lead. Alex upped his spring average to .365 to go with 22 RBI's. He also swiped his fourth base as well.
Sean O'Sullivan pitched the final two innings for the Royals giving up one run on four hits, while picking up the save. Francis picked up the win, moving to 2-1, while Giants starter Johnathan Sanchez took the loss, falling to 2-1.
Kansas City now stands at 18-10-1, while the Giants are 20-12. The Royals now sit in second place in the Cactus league, behind only Colorado which is 20-9.
Kyle Davies and Kansas City will be take on the Milwaukee Brewers tomorrow afternoon in Surprise. Jeremy Jeffress, Louis Coleman, Robinson Tejeda, and Joakim Soria are all expected to pitch as well. The game will be shown live on FSN Kansas City.