Royals split squads defeat Padres and Reds

Two games, two wins. The good times keep rolling for the Royals, who have an 8-1 record, the best in the majors.

On Wednesday, the Royals split their squad, sending a group to Goodyear, where they beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-2. At Surprise Stadium, the Royals defeated the San Diego Padres 4-3.

Starter Yordano Ventura, who allowed four runs in one inning in his last start, scattered four hits in three scoreless innings against the Padres. He struck out three, including Jedd Gyorko on a filthy curveball to end Ventura’s outing.

“I’m feeling good and much better than the last time,” Ventura said.

Ventura threw 54 pitches, and 33 were for strikes.

The Royals opened their half of the first inning with singles by shortstop Gabriel Noriega, second baseman Ryan Roberts and center fielder Lorenzo Cain that brought home a run.

After Jandel Gustave allowed a run in the top of the fifth inning, the Royals got it back. With one out, Noriega reached on an error, Roberts walked and Cain singled home Noriega.

Paulo Orlando had an RBI single in the seventh for the Royals, and a double-play ball brought home another run. Cody Decker’s two-run homer off Joe Paterson got San Diego within one, but the Royals held on.

In Goodyear, the Reds’ Eugenio Suarez hit a home-run against Yohan Pinto in the seventh inning, breaking a 1-1 tie.

But in the eighth inning, Ryan Jackson walked, Bubba Starling was hit by a pitch and Jorge Bonifacio drove both of them in with a double. An inning later, Cheslor Cuthbert’s double scored Justin Trapp and Lane Adams.

Starter Joe Blanton worked out of a first-inning jam but allowed a run in the third inning. Tucker Barnhart led off with a double and came around on a ground-out and a fly-out by Joey Votto.

▪ Former Royals farmhand Wil Myers had a pair of sharply-hit singles for the Padres. He was also picked off first by Ventura in the first inning.

▪ Second baseman Omar Infante went one for four with a double against the Reds in his first game this spring.

This story was originally published March 11, 2015 at 6:05 PM with the headline "Royals split squads defeat Padres and Reds."