Marlins 5, Royals 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Justin Ruggiano snapped a franchise-record 0-for-42 skid with three singles, drove in a run and scored a run as the Miami Marlins rallied past the Kansas City Royals 5-2 on Wednesday.
The Marlins took advantage of an Elliot Johnson error to score two unearned runs in the seventh inning and won for only the fifth time in 57 games when they trailed after six innings.
The Royals, who had won their first seven series after the All-Star break, dropped two of three to the Marlins. The Royals managed just nine hits in losing the final two games.
Koyie Hill, who was called up Friday, led off the seventh with a double, the only Marlins extra-base hit, against Royals left-hander Tim Collins. Christian Yelich wound up on second and Hill on third after his grounder went between Johnson's legs.
Groundouts by Donovan Solano and Logan Morrison scored Yelich and Hill.
The Marlins tacked on two runs in the ninth. Ruggiano led off with a single. Solano and Morrison, who grew up in Kansas City, drilled run-producing singles to right.
Dan Jennings (2-4), the second of four Marlins pitchers, picked up the win, working a scoreless sixth. Steve Cishek logged his 21st consecutive save and his 26th in 28 chances, although he gave up a double and a walk.
Collins (2-6), who is 0-for-4 in save opportunities, took the loss.
Marlins right-hander Jacob Turner, who is 0-3 in six starts since a July 10 victory over Atlanta, took a walk on the wild side. He walked a career-high six of the 24 batters he faced in five-plus innings and struck out none.
Turner, however, allowed only two runs (one unearned) to keep the Marlins close.
Royals starter Ervin Santana, who was coming off his worst start of the season when he allowed nine hits and six runs against Boston, held the Marlins to one run and eight hits in six innings.
Eric Hosmer snapped an 0-for-13 skid with an opposite-field double with one out in the first and scored on Salvador Perez's two-out single, putting the Royals up 1-0.
The Marlins tied it in the fourth on three hits and a walk. Ruggiano's two-out ground single up the middle scored Adieny Hechavarria.
The Royals regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth with an unearned run. Chris Getz drew his second walk of the game and moved to third when Hechavarria failed to handle Johnson's grounder.
Turner walked Jarrod Dyson to load the bases and Getz wound up scoring on David Lough's groundout to second base.
NOTES: The Royals obtained IF Emilio Bonifacio from the Toronto Blue Jays for cash considerations or a player to be named. He hit .218 with three home runs, 20 RBIs and 12 stolen bases with Toronto. ...Royals manager Ned Yost claims 3B Mike Moustakas is not a candidate for the disabled list. "We're going to re-evaluate probably tomorrow and see where we're at, but I don't anticipate him having to go on the DL," Yost said. ... RHP Nathan Eovaldi, who starts Friday against the San Francisco Giants, has a 1.04 ERA in his past four starts. The Marlins, however, have failed to score a run in Eovaldi's past five starts. Only three pitchers have gone six straight starts without the support of a run since 1974.
