Returning home for the first time since a nine game road trip, the home fans had their first chance to see Mike Moustakas up close, but it was Alex Gordon who put on the show for the Royals, going 3-for-4 at the plate and finishing a single short of the cycle Tuesday evening. To add insult, Gordon was left in the on deck circle during the final out as the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated Kansas City 7-2.
Things looked good at the onset, as starter Luke Hochevar was dominant for nearly five innings before an ugly inning reared it's head. As typical with Hochevar he shows flashes of being a definitive major league ace, and then the wheels all of a sudden fall off and everything is down hill.
After retiring the Diamondbacks in order in the top of the first, Gordon lead off the bottom of the first taking the first pitch he saw from Joe Saunders out to right field for his ninth home run of the season.
Saunders would rebound and pitch seven innings, allowing just two runs on six hits. In picking up the win, he improved his mark to 4-7.
Hochevar went unscathed until the fifth, giving up a deep home run to Wily Mo Pena that landed in the water in right center. For Pena, it was his first big league game since 2008, after having hit 21 home runs so far this season at AAA.
Hochevar lasted seven innings for Kansas City, allowing five runs and eight hits. He struck out six while walking just one, as he took the loss and falls to 4-8.
After Arizona had established a 5-1 lead, the Royals scored once more in the bottom of the seventh on a Gordon triple that scored Alcides Escobar.
Chris Young and the Diamondbacks would add two more in the top of the eighth when Young hit a two-run shot, his 15th of the season, off Royals reliever Everett Teaford.
Kansas City falls to 31-42 on the season, and now sits with a 21-21 home record, while Arizona improves to 40-34 with the win. Tuesday's boxscore can be viewed here.
The two teams are back at it tomorrow evening at Kauffman Stadium, were Jeff Francis (3-7 4.83) will face Ian Kennedy (7-2 2.98).