Singer pitches into sixth, Royals beat Rockies 2-0 to avoid sweep
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brady Singer scattered five singles over 5 2/3 innings and the Kansas City Royals beat the Colorado Rockies 2-0 on Sunday.
Singer (4-4) allowed just one runner past first base while striking out seven, his most since getting eight on April 14 against Atlanta.
Rockies starter Kyle Freeland (4-7) retired the first 13 batters he faced. With one out in the fifth, MJ Melendez had a ground-ball double took a bad hop past Rockies second baseman Harold Castro to end Freeland’s perfect game bid. Melendez scored one out later on Michael Massey’s single to right.
Maikel Garcia led off the eighth with his first major league homer, ending Freeland’s day. Freeland gave up two runs and four hits with no walks and one strikeout in seven-plus innings.
The Royals’ bullpen, with a major-league high 19 blown-lead losses, shut down the Rockies over the final 3 1/3 innings. Scott Barlow struck out three while working around a pair of singles to earn his seventh save.
Before the start of the sixth inning, the game was delayed for 16 minutes due to rain.
Mike Moustakas and Nolan Jones each had two of Colorado’s eight hits. Jones extended his hitting streak to a career-best seven games.
Kansas City got its third shutout of the season, and second in five games. Colorado was blanked for the second time in five games.
The win prevented the Rockies from getting a sweep, but the Royals still lost their fifth straight series and they are 1-9 in home series this year.
UP NEXT
Rockies: RHP Dinelson Lamet (1-2, 13.17 ERA) will take the mound against San Francisco on Tuesday.
Royals: have not announced a starter for their series opener on Monday at Miami against Marlins LHP Braxton Garrett (1-2, 4.22).