Not even pesky aluminum foil could prevent the Royals from being swept by the Cardinals. Luke Weaver was scratched as Sunday’s starter for St. Louis after the righty cut his index finger on the wrapping covering a food tray. Trainers glued his finger, but the next morning Mike Shildt decided to not take any chances and inserted newly acquired Tyson Ross into the starting rotation.
Ross got the win, pitching six innings and allowing two runs. He was the pitcher on record when the Cardinals opened up a tight 2-1 games by scoring seven runs in the final three innings off Kansas City’s bullpen for an 8-2 win.
Yadier Molina hit the go-ahead two-run single in the seventh. Paul DeJong drilled a two-run homer in the ninth for St. Louis, which won its fifth straight and completed their first I-70 Series sweep at Kauffman Stadium since 2012. St. Louis rookie Patrick Wisdom recorded two base hits, including an RBI-single, in his first major league start.
Jake Junis struck out eight over six innings of one-run ball as KC led 2-1, but Jason Hammel gave up three in the seventh to take the loss.
After getting swept by the Cardinals, the Royals now welcome the Blue Jays to “The K” tonight for the start of a three-game series. Brad Keller starts for KC, while Toronto turns to rookie Sean Reid-Foley. The Royals have lost nine-of-10 to fall to 35-and-82. The streaking Cardinals open a four-game series with the Nationals tonight at Busch Stadium. It’s the first of a seven-game homestand for St. Louis, which has won five in-a-row. Miles Mikolas will oppose Washington’s Tommy Milone. The Cards are 63-55 and just two-and-a-half games back of the Brewers for the NL’s second wild card spot.
