KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Providing a shot in the arm for a team in desperate need of one, All-Star Billy Butler belted a walk-off home run in the ninth to propel the Royals to an 8-7 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night at Kauffman Stadium.
The win snaps a three-game losing skid for Kansas City.
The Royals led 7-4 in the seventh inning, but the Mariners (39-54, 22-27 away) put together a three-run rally to tie the game at 7-7.
Royals reliever Aaron Crow (4.08 ERA) blew his fourth save of the year, but was picked up by the rest of his bullpen. Kelvin Herrera (2.85 ERA) pitched a scoreless eighth, and reliever Greg Holland (4-2, 3.44 ERA) got the win after tossing a scoreless ninth.
Starter Bruce Chen (5.57 ERA) gave up four runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings, striking out six and walking none. Two of those hits were HR’s.
Center fielder Lorenzo Cain homered for a second straight night, a two-run blast in the fifth that gave the Royals (39-51, 16-27 home) a 7-3 lead.
The late game heroics were saved for Butler, who crushed reliever Josh Kinney’s first pitch to left center to seal the Royals’ third walk-off win of the season. It was Butler’s team-high 18th HR this year.
Mariners ace Felix Hernandez (7-5, 2.92 ERA) takes the mound against lefty Will Smith (1-2, 9.00 ERA) as the Royals try to split the series on Thursday afternoon at the K.
