By DAVE SKRETTA , AP Sports Writer
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kyle Seager hit a go-ahead homer with two outs in the eighth inning, and the Seattle Mariners held on to beat the Kansas City Royals 4-2 on a warm, sun-splashed Wednesday afternoon.
James Paxton matched a career-best with 10 strikeouts over six sharp innings before turning it over to his bullpen. Nick Vincent (1-0) worked a perfect seventh, and Juan Nicasio retired three in a row after putting runners on the corners, before Edwin Diaz entered the game.
Diaz worked around shortstop Jean Segura’s second error of the game to earn his fourth save.
Danny Duffy and Brad Keller turned a 2-2 game over to reliever Justin Grimm (0-1), and he quickly got the first two outs in the eighth. But after walking Mitch Haniger, the Kansas City reliever hung a 1-1 pitch that Seager popped into the Royals’ bullpen in right field.
Seager also drove in a run with sacrifice fly in the first, helping the Mariners conclude a 10-day road trip spanning about 5,200 miles by winning the last two games of the three-game set.
The temperature at first pitch was 71 degrees, or about 40 degrees higher than the temps were when the teams met Monday night. It was a bit warmer for their game Tuesday night.
What turned into a pitchers’ duel Wednesday looked as if it’d be a high-scoring affair in the first inning.
Duffy gave up a single, walked three, withstood an ugly error by his catcher and at one point loaded the bases, only to escape the inning having surrendered just two runs.
Paxton countered by walking his first batter and allowing a single, but came through unscathed when Jon Jay was thrown out trying to steal third and Cheslor Cuthbert grounded out to end the inning.
The Royals eventually knotted the game at 2 in the fourth on Paulo Orlando’s two-out double.
Duffy’s pitch count did him in, and the left-hander was lifted after getting the first out in the fifth inning. He allowed four hits and three walks but also struck out seven.
Paxton scattered six hits and a walk while keeping the Royals at bay.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mariners: DH Nelson Cruz (sprained ankle) did some running before the game. Manager Scott Servais said he hopes Cruz will be able to return to the lineup this weekend.
Royals: RHP Nate Karns (elbow inflammation) continues to throw side sessions, and manager Ned Yost said the last hurdle to his return is some fluid on the outside of his elbow dissipating. Yost says that Karns will likely head to the bullpen when he returns.
UP NEXT
Mariners: After a day off, RHP Mike Leake takes the mound Friday night when the Mariners open a seven-game homestand with three games against the Oakland Athletics.
Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy tries to build on a solid start to his season when the Royals begin a four-game series with the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night at Kauffman Stadium.
