Benintendi's single in 8th sends KC to 2-0 win over Brewers

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Andrew Benintendi drove in the go-ahead run with two outs in the eighth inning, spoiling a masterful start by the Brewers' Brandon Woodruff and propelling the Kansas City Royals to a 2-0 victory over Milwaukee on Tuesday night.

Royals starter Kris Bubic, who had been working in long relief but got a spot start when Danny Duffy headed to the injured list, threw six innings of one-hit ball.

Woodruff (2-2) allowed just four hits before walking Whit Merrifield and plunking Carlos Santana with two outs in the eighth. Brewers manager Craig Counsell brought in reliever Devin Williams to face Benintendi, who lined a single to right field that gave Merrifield just enough time to slide under Omar Narvaez's tag at the plate.

Narvaez immediately signaled for Counsell to challenge the safe call but it stood upon review. The Royals then tacked on a run when Salvador Perez hit a grounder to shortstop and Luis Urias threw wide of first base for an error.

As if that didn't make the ninth inning bad enough for the Brewers, Avisail Garcia was tossed for arguing balls and strikes by plate umpire Brian Gorman with a 2-2 count and two outs. Counsell also was thrown out for defending his hitter, leaving Daniel Vogelbach to swing wildly at Josh Staumont's pitch for the game-ending third strike.

Jake Brentz (1-0) got just one out in the eighth but still earned his first career win. Staumont picked up his fourth save.

Most of the game amounted to a pitch-for-pitch duel between Woodruff and Bubic.

Woodruff's only hiccups before the fateful eighth inning came in the second, when he gave up a couple two-out singles, and the fifth, when the Royals gave up a couple outs on the base paths. Woodruff otherwise cruised right along, keeping impatient Kansas City hitters baffled...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Benintendi-s-single-in-8th-sends-KC-to-2-0-win-16187053.php