Sunday afternoon the Royals and the Cardinals played their third straight 5-4 game, but unfortunately it was the Cardinals getting the victory for the second day in a row as Skip Schmaker's ninth-inning solo home run off reliever Tim Collins gave St. Louis the victory. Collins fell to 3-4 with the loss.
Kansas City scored one run in the first inning as Billy Butler doubled down the third base line scoring Melky Cabrera, but St. Louis answered with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the first as Andrew Brown hit a two-run single off Danny Duffy.
Duffy lasted just 3.2 innings before leaving with cramps in his left calf. The temperature at first pitch was 80 degrees, so it was probably warm enough were heat may have been a factor, especially if not enough fluids were being drank. But Duffy did look good, though he allowed six hits and two earned runs. He struck out a career high 9 while walking just one in his short stint.
After the Cardinals took a 3-2 lead in the fifth on an Albert Pujols home run, Pujols was injured in a collision with Wilson Betemit at first base. Betemit had hit a ball back up the middle and reached base at the same time as the ball, causing an run-in at first. Pujols left the game, giving way to Lance Berkman.
The Royals put up a good fight, as they rallied in the top of the ninth to tie the game at four on Alcides Escobar's first home run of the season, an impressive 393-foot shot to left field. In his last 12 games, Escobar is hitting .512/.543/.744 and has his batting average up to .255 on the season.
St. Louis is 40-33, while Kansas City is 31-41.
Sunday's boxscore can be accessed here.
Kansas City is now off on Monday, before welcoming the Arizona Diamondbacks to Kauffman Stadium for a 7:10 CST home game. Luke Hochevar (4-7 4.87) take to the mound opposite Joe Saunders (3-7 4.50 ERA).
Also Vin Mazzaro was demoted to AAA Omaha after Sunday's game with Bruce Chen likely to be activated off the disabled list.