Kirby works seven shutout innings to lead Mariners over Royals

SEATTLE (AP) — George Kirby allowed three hits over seven shutout innings, Luke Raley hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Kansas City Royals 6-2 on Monday night.

A night that started with a lucky fan catching foul balls on consecutive pitches ended with another dominant pitching performance that helped the Mariners improve to 19-11 over the past 30 games.

Kirby (4-3) had been bothered by a sore knee, but was terrific. He angrily pitched out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the first inning after hitting a pair of batters, but appeared to become energized by getting himself out of the situation.

"If anything else, that just fires me up to make that pitch even more fine on the corner," Kirby said.

He gave up Bobby Witt Jr.’s first inning single, then didn’t allow another hit until Dairon Blanco reached on an infield single in the fifth. Kirby struck out six, walked none. It was the third time this season he pitched at least six innings and didn’t allow a run.

Seattle manager Scott Servais called it a vintage performance by Kirby despite some early frustration.

“George is angry some nights and tonight was the night. There was a few calls that he didn't get that he thought he should have got, but he was on the attack,” Servais said.

Raley's second homer of the season traveled an estimated at 432 feet and came after Cal Raleigh doubled on the first pitch of the second inning from Kansas City starter Brady Singer. Raley also appeared to break – or have come unscrewed — the celebratory trident used by the Mariners to celebrate home runs.

“All I was doing was carrying it and it fell apart,” Raley said.

Raley is hitting .375 with a 1.131 OPS in May.

“I've put a lot of work in. I was busting my butt to get back to feeling comfortable in the box and it's paying off now,” Raley said.

Raleigh and Raley added an RBI singles an inning later. Raleigh's was a 410-foot shot that tipped off Blanco’s glove as he jumped at the fence. Julio Rodríguez scored, but Jorge Polanco had to wait near first base and could only advance 90 feet, leaving Raleigh with possibly the longest single of his career.

Ty France added a two-run homer in the eighth inning, his third of the season.

Kansas City's Michael Massey had a two-out, two-run double in the eighth, but closer Andrés Muñoz recorded the final four outs for his sixth save.

Singer (3-2) gave up a season-high nine hits and allowed more than two earned runs for only the second time this season – both losses. Singer needed 108 pitches to get through five innings and struck out six.

“His stuff was good. Missed his spots a couple of times there, at least the ones I saw on the board there. Middle mistakes with pretty good hitters,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Carlos Hernandez (shoulder) pitched 1 1/3 innings on Sunday as part of his rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha, the first time he pitched more than one inning.

Mariners: Polanco left the game before the start of the sixth inning due to hamstring tightness in his right leg. ... SS J.P. Crawford (oblique) is expected to start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Michael Wacha (2-4, 5.15) looks for his second straight win after giving up two earned runs over six innings in his last start. Mariners: RHP Logan Gilbert (3-1, 2.94) will try and rebound after giving up eight runs on nine hits in a loss to Minnesota.

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