Tyler Stephenson’s breakout game lifts Reds over Royals

Tyler Stephenson clubbed a two-run homer for one of his three hits, Nick Martinez pitched seven quality innings and the visiting Cincinnati Reds beat the Kansas City Royals 7-4 on Monday.
Stephenson came in batting .177 but matched the personal hit total from his previous six games. He had three RBIs for the Reds, who got two hits apiece from TJ Friedl, Santiago Espinal and Garrett Hampson.
Martinez (3-5) yielded six hits without a walk, and all three runs he allowed came in the seventh, including Salvador Perez’s two-run homer. Cincinnati has won two of three after losing three straight.
The Reds had their way with Kansas City starter Michael Lorenzen (3-6), who allowed six runs, 11 hits and three walks over five innings. It marked the first time this season a Royals starter allowed more than five runs in a contest.
Cincinnati wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. Friedl opened the game with a double that made it to the right field wall and eventually came home on Austin Hays’ sacrifice fly.
The Reds added three more runs in the third when they banged out five hits against Lorenzen. Gavin Lux and Stephenson each delivered RBI singles and Will Benson came through with Cincinnati’s second sacrifice fly to right field.
Meanwhile, Martinez allowed his first baserunners in the fourth via singles to ex-Red Jonathan India and Vinnie Pasquantino. However, he avoided any damage after Perez grounded into an inning-ending 4-3 double play.
In the fifth, the highlight of Stephenson’s big day came when he sent Lorenzen’s first-pitch sinker, with a man on, well over the left field wall.
The Royals finally got to Martinez in the seventh. After Pasquantino’s second single, Perez clubbed a towering homer to left field for Kansas City’s first extra-base hit. Maikel Garcia then doubled and eventually scored on Nick Loftin’s sacrifice fly.
Espinal provided some insurance with an RBI double in the eighth.
Kansas City loaded the bags in the ninth but plated only one run via Emilio Pagan’s balk. The Royals have totaled 11 runs while losing three of four.