SEATTLE | The sun smiled Sunday on Royals left fielder Alex Gordon at Safeco Field just four days after tormenting him in Oakland.</p><p> Gordon&#x92;s routine two-out fly in the third inning turned into the game&#x92;s first run in a 2-1 victory over the Mariners when it fell for an RBI double after left fielder Mike Carp lost the ball in the sun.</p><p> &#x93;One of those finally went our way,&#x94; Gordon said. &#x93;I&#x92;m just glad Esky (Alcides Escobar) was running hard (from first) and scored on the play.&#x94;</p><p> Gordon was on the other end of things last Wednesday in Oakland when he lost two balls in the sun in an afternoon game at the O.co Coliseum. One by Scott Sizemore went for a two-out, two-run double that broke open a close game in what became a 7-0 loss.</p><p> Sunday&#x92;s sun at Safeco, Gordon said, was similar.</p><p> &#x93;Early on, in left field, it was right over you,&#x94; he said. &#x93;Just like in Oakland. Then it shifted toward center. Melky (Cabrera) and I were communicating that, hey, if it goes up in the air, sprint over because you never know. You might have to catch it.&#x94; </p><p><strong><span class="subhead">More Teaford</span></strong></p><p> Rookie left-hander Everett Teaford can count on at least one more start in the season&#x92;s closing weeks after pitching five scoreless innings in Sunday&#x92;s victory &#x97; and maybe a lot more.</p><p> &#x93;We&#x92;ll find a way to get another start for him, for sure,&#x94; manager Ned Yost said. &#x93;When we come to spring training next year, he&#x92;ll definitely get a look as a starter.&#x94;</p><p> Teaford started throughout much of his minor-league career and drew Sunday&#x92;s assignment after the Royals shut down Danny Duffy, another rookie lefty, because of a career-high number of innings.</p><p> Club officials still want to look at three starters at Class AAA Omaha &#x97; Vin Mazzaro, Luis Mendoza and Sean O&#x92;Sullivan &#x97; but are hesitant to promote them because the Storm Chasers are in the Pacific Coast League championship series.</p><p><strong><span class="subhead">In the right spot</span></strong></p><p> Right fielder Jeff Francoeur continued a recent run of strong defensive plays by picking up his 16th assist when he completed a double play in the fourth inning. His play, at the time, helped preserve a 1-0 lead.</p><p> Dustin Ackley opened the inning with a bunt single but strayed too far from first on Mike Carp&#x92;s liner to right. Francoeur made the catch and threw to first for a double play.</p><p> On Saturday, Francoeur robbed extra bases from Carp on a catch at the wall; on Friday, he twice victimized Ackley, including a homer-stealing catch when he reached over the right-field wall.</p><p> All that came after a 9-3 putout Wednesday in Oakland when he threw out Michael Taylor at first base to deny a line-drive single.</p><p><strong><span class="subhead">A target of 30</span></strong></p><p> Joakim Soria got his 28th save in Sunday&#x92;s victory and needs two more in the Royals&#x92; final 14 games to match Dan Quisenberry as the only reliever in club history to reach 30 in four consecutive seasons.</p><p> Quisenberry saved at least 30 games during 1982-85 and had five seasons of 30 or more saves in his career. Jeff Montgomery also saved at least 30 games in five seasons but never did so more than three years in a row. </p><p><strong><span class="subhead">11 plus zero</span></strong></p><p> Felipe Paulino&#x92;s dominant effort Saturday in a 4-2 victory marked only the third time in club history that a starting pitcher struck out at least 11 batters without issuing a walk.</p><p> It had never been done before July 25, 2009, when Luke Hochevar struck out 13 in a 6-3 victory over the Rangers at Kauffman Stadium. </p><p>Zack Greinke struck out 12 on June 13, 2010, in a 7-3 win at Cincinnati.