Max Ramirez drove in four runs, DH Billy Butler drove in three more and the Royals beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 16-4. The Royals finished with 19 hits, as nine different players picked up RBIs.
The Royals scored five runs in the first and fifth innings. In that fifth, Ramirez hit a grand slam and Adam Moore added a two-run shot off Arizona’s Steve Garrison.
Chris Dwyer pitched 1.2 innings and gave up three runs, two earned on one hit and three walks. Nate Adcock and five other pitchers held Arizona to one run and four hits the rest of the way.
Alex Gordon was scheduled to play, but missed the game with lower back pain. “A little back stiffness, it’s right where your rear end meets your back. Went in and took some swings, and it was still tight,” manager Ned Yost said. “This is way too early to be pushing anything, so we made a lineup change.”
Yost said he had zero concern.
