The Royals have lost seven in a row and their last ten at Kauffman Stadium. The Cardinals used three home runs to push past the Royals for a 4-1 victory on Tuesday night. The four game series will now shift to Busch Stadium.
Carlos Beltran, the one-time Royal, hit a two run homer in the first inning off K.C. starter Ervin Santana. It was Beltran’s 11th of the year. Matt Carpenter led off the sixth with a blast to right field and two batters later, Matt Holliday added his seventh, crushing one 437 feet to center giving the Cardinals a 4-1 margin.
The Royals were only able to dent rookie pitcher Tyler Lyons for one run in the first inning. Billy Butler drove in Alex Gordon with a double after Gordon walked to lead off the inning. After that double, Lyons retired 17 hitters in a row, until Butler singled with one out in the seventh. Lyons finished the seventh before giving way to the bullpen.
Trevor Rosenthal pitched a quiet eighth, Edward Mujica is now 16 for 16 on save opportunities.