The Royals connected for two home runs in the three run fifth inning as Josh Fields, getting a shot at third base with Alex Gordon out with a broken thumb, hit a two-run shot and Kila Ka’aihue added a solo shot but the Royals fell to the Red 12-5.
Starter Brian Bannister allowed one hit over two scoreless innings. Kyle Farnsworth followed and allowed five earned runs on six hits over 1 2/3 innings with three walks and two strikeouts.
Cincinnati’s Aroldis Chapman pitched two scoreless innings with one hit, one walk and three strikeouts. The Cuban threw 26 pitches, 15 for strikes. One scout’s radar-gun reading on a Chris Getz called strikeout in the fourth inning registered 100 mph. The Reds’ scout gun topped out at 99 mph.
Manager Trey Hillman’s comments
