Dozier homer helps Royals to 3rd straight win over Astros

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Hunter Dozier hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning, and the Kansas City Royals earned their third straight win over Houston, beating the Astros 3-2 Wednesday night.

Dozier homered off reliever Blake Taylor to help the Royals post their 31st come-from-behind victory of the season, fourth-most in the American League.

The Royals go for a four-game series sweep over Houston on Thursday.

The game ended when Andrew Benintendi threw out Chas McCormick trying to score from second on a single by Jose Altuve.

The loss dropped the Astros to 33-25 this year against teams with a losing record. Houston is 37-25 against teams with a .500 record or better.

Nicky Lopez had three hits for the Royals. Domingo Tapia (1-0) earned the victory and Scott Barlow picked up his seventh save.

Taylor (2-4) took the loss.

Neither starter factored in the decision. Zack Greinke gave up one run on five hits over six innings. He didn’t walk or strike out a Royals batter. Brady Singer allowed two runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings, walking two and striking out six.

Neither starter allowed a hit in the first three innings. Singer gave up a walk in the first and then retired the next nine straight before Carlos Correa’s one-out bloop single in the fourth. He got all three batters in the third on called third strikes.

Greinke was perfect through three innings without recording a strikeout. He allowed his first hit in the fourth with one out, a single by Lopez. Salvador Perez followed with a single, sending Lopez to third, and Carlos Santana’s single drove in Lopez.

Singer allowed three hits through six innings before giving up the lead in the seventh. With two outs, he gave up back-to-back hits to Yuli Gurriel and McCormick and walked Jake Meyers. Pinch-hitter...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Dozier-homer-helps-Royals-to-3rd-straight-win-16396863.php