Billy Butler hit a 1-1 pitch from Josh Kinney (0-1) out of the park to left-center for his 18th homer to help lift the Royals to an 8-7 win over the Seattle Mariners. Butler went 3-for-3 and walked twice and drew special praise from his manager. “Billy is a special hitter,” Ned Yost said. “He went up in that inning and said, ‘I’m going to take the first pitch and I know it’s going to be a slider and take a good look at it and gauge it.’ He sat on one and then drove it into the stands.”

Lorenzo Cain, homered in the fifth inning with Butler aboard. Cain, who also singled and scored in the Royals’ three-run second inning, is 10-for-20 in his six-game hitting streak. Alex Gordon had a two-run double in the fourth, and the Royals led 7-4 after five innings.

Royals starter Bruce Chen gave up four runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings, walking none and striking out six, but the bullpen stumbled once Chen left the game, allowing Seattle to tie the game.