Kansas City Royals bombarded by Astros, 9-2

Kansas City Royals rookie pitcher

was pulled after 2.2 innings due to a sore elbow in Monday night’s loss to the Houston Astros. Photo by John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Royals  (24-26) did little on the field to excite the the Memorial Day crowd, as Houston Astros rookie George Springer put on a show in the Astros’ 9-2 victory at Kauffman Stadium. A crowd of over 32,000 was taken out of the game early.
Scott Feldman (3-2, 3.02) picked up the win, while Yordano Ventura (2-5, 3.45) took the loss.
Ventura was lifted mid-batter after 2.2 innings, reportedly due to a sore elbow.
The Astros (20-32) out-hit the Royals, 16-10.
The Royals put up single runs in the fourth and the sixth, not enough for Houston’s offensive outburst, and not enough for Springer alone.
Springer, in just his 35th game in the Major Leagues, showed why the Astros feel he will be a cornerstone for their franchise for years to come. Monday night, he went 4-for-4, with a single, two doubles, a booming home run that landed in the fountains in left, scored five runs, batted in three and walked once. It was his eighth home run on the season and fourth game in a row he has hit a long ball.
If that wasn’t enough, Dexter Fowler, who came over from the Colorado Rockies in the off-season, was also perfect at the plate, going 2-for-2 with an RBI and three walks.
The Astros scored in six different frames. They scored two in the first, three in the second, and one run in the fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth.

NOTABLES: Three Astros hitters had at least three-hit nights: Springer (4-for-4), Alex Presley (3-for-5) and Marwin Gonzalez (4-for-5). Lorenzo Cain was perfect on the night (4-for-4), and is now hitting .327 on the season. The Royals have now gone 7 games without a home run. Counting the two home runs Alex Gordon hit eight games ago, the Royals have been out-homered 11-2 in that span.

NEXT: Collin McHugh (2-3, 3.32) takes the hill for the Astros vs. Jeremy Guthrie (2-3, 4.39), 7:10 p.m. Tuesday at Kauffman Stadium.