Eric Hosmer sparks win over Cubs, Royals lose to A’s in split-squad games
The first double of Eric Hosmer’s spring was a carbon copy of his final double of 2015. Replicating his ninth-inning double off Mets starter Matt Harvey in Game 5 of the World Series, Hosmer sparked a sixth-inning rally in the Royals’ 3-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Monday at Sloan Park.
“Similar swings, similar placement,” Hosmer said. “It was nice to get on the board.”
Across town, a split-squad version of the Royals fell to the Oakland Athletics 6-4 at Hohokam Stadium.
Hosmer’s two-run double — which came off Cubs pitcher Andury Acevedo — sliced into the corner in deep left and bounced up against the wall, pulling the Royals even at 2-2. Catcher Salvador Perez followed with a sharp single to center, scoring Hosmer from second.
While Hosmer stirred the offense with his third hit in nine at-bats this spring, right-hander Kris Medlen offered a breezy two innings against the Cubs’ offense, including former Royals infielder Ben Zobrist. Medlen, a candidate to earn a starting spot in the rotation, needed just 28 pitches to get through two innings, recording three strikeouts before finishing with another 10-pitch session in the bullpen. He was making his first spring start since undergoing Tommy John surgery in March 2014.
“Very sharp,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. He said Medlen “had everything working.”
Reliever Luke Hochevar also made his first appearance of the spring, recording a scoreless inning.
As the Royals held the Cubs in check, top prospect Kyle Zimmer logged his second start of the spring, allowing one run and four hits in three innings against the A’s. Zimmer added two strikeouts while putting a focus on his changeup.
“I thought it was all right,” Zimmer said. “I went out there sort of trying to work on some stuff. I wanted to work on some more change-ups, and actually, I think it ended up getting me into a little bit of trouble. I was just missing off the plate.”
The split-squad games allowed Yost to offer starts to a collection of young players, but third baseman Mike Moustakas continued an early hot stretch, roping a two-run homer off A’s starter Jesse Hahn. Moustakas has a history of swinging a hot bat in the thin air of Arizona, and this year is no different. He is now 5 for 9 with a homer and three RBIs this spring.
“I got a pitch up in the zone,” Moustakas said. “A change-up that was up, and (I) put a good swing on it. It ended up getting out of the yard.”
The regulars
Left fielder Alex Gordon appears to still be working into form. He finished 0 for 3 with three strikeouts in the victory against the Cubs. Designated hitter Kendrys Morales drew a start against the A’s, finishing 1 for 3 with a walk. Alcides Escobar joined Morales and Moustakas in the lineup against the A’s and finished 0 for 3. Center fielder Lorenzo Cain had the day off after starting on Sunday.
The arms
Left-hander David Huff allowed two runs and four hits in two innings against the Cubs, including a homer to shortstop Addison Russell in the fifth inning. Relievers Peter Moylan, Scott Alexander and Aroni Nina all threw scoreless innings.
Position battles
Second baseman Omar Infante, recovering from offseason surgery on his elbow, saw his first action of the spring while serving as the designated hitter against the Chicago Cubs. He finished the day 0 for 4.
Infante, 34, had the surgery in November to shave down a bone spur in his right elbow. He is battling Christian Colon for the starting job at second base. Colon started at second against the A’s and finished 0 for 2 with a walk. Colon is hitless in nine at-bats this spring.
Center fielder Bubba Starling also remained hitless this spring, going 0 for 3 against the A’s. While the Royals’ have an opening in the outfield after an injury to Jarrod Dyson last week, Yost said Monday that Starling is unlikely to be considered for that role.
“He’s not going to get to the big leagues until we’re ready to play him every day,” Yost said. “Once he gets here, he’ll be here to stay.”
Next up
The Royals will face the Colorado Rockies at 2:05 p.m. Tuesday at Surprise Stadium. KCSP (610 AM) will carry the game.
Rustin Dodd: 816-234-4937, @rustindodd
Time-lapse video: The Royals' World Series trophy at spring training
Monday’s first game summary
Royals 3, Cubs 2
TableStyle: SP-basebattersCCI Template: SP-basebatters
Kansas City AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | Avg. | |
Fuentes cf | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .429 |
Orlando cf | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .222 |
A.Gordon lf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .100 |
P.Morin c | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 |
Hosmer 1b | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .333 |
W.Merrifield pr-1b | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .167 |
S.Perez c | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .100 |
Gore pr-lf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .250 |
Infante dh | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
J.Martinez rf | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .444 |
Barmes ss | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 |
R.Torres pr-ss | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .143 |
Dozier 3b | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .167 |
Calixte 2b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .125 |
Mondesi 2b | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .143 |
Totals 28 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
TableStyle: SP-basebattersCCI Template: SP-basebatters
Chicago AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | Avg. | |
Zobrist 2b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .143 |
J.Candelario 3b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
A.Russell ss | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .286 |
S.Bruno 2b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Schwarber c | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .125 |
K.Dugan rf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
J.Baez cf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .143 |
J.Perez lf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .143 |
Victorino rf | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .167 |
W.Contreras c | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
La Stella 3b | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 |
Clark 1b | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .400 |
Almora lf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .182 |
Kalish cf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Vogelbach dh | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .200 |
Negron 1b-3b-ss | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .200 |
Watkins ss | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Totals 31 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 7 |
TableStyle: SP-basebyinningsCCI Template: SP-basebyinnings
Kansas City (ss) | 000 | 003 | 000 | — | 3 | 4 | 0 |
Chicago (ss) | 000 | 020 | 000 | — | 2 | 5 | 0 |
DP: Kansas City 1. LOB: Kansas City 2, Chicago 8. 2B: Hosmer (1). HR: A.Russell (2). SB: Fuentes (1). CS: Gore (2). S: Negron.
TableStyle: SP-basepitchersCCI Template: SP-basepitchers
Kansas City | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
Medlen | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.00 |
Hochevar | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 |
Huff W, 1-1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9.00 |
Moylan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 6.00 |
A.Nina | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9.00 |
Alexander | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
M.Culver S, 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
TableStyle: SP-basepitchersCCI Template: SP-basepitchers
Chicago | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
Hammel | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.00 |
Richard | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.00 |
H.Rondon | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
A.Acevedo L, 0-1 | 2/3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 16.20 |
M.Wagner | 1/3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Edwards Jr. | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Machi | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
F.Pena | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Blown save: A.Acevedo (1). HBP: by Hochevar (Negron), by Richard (Fuentes), by Edwards Jr. (Barmes). Umpires: Home, Anthony Johnson; First, Adrian Johnson; Second, Kerwin Danley; Third, Roberto Ortiz. Time: 2:38. Att: 11,937.
Monday’s second game
summary
Athletics 6, Royals 4
TableStyle: SP-basebattersCCI Template: SP-basebatters
Kansas City AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | Avg. | |
A.Escobar ss | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .200 |
D.Coleman ss | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .143 |
C.Colon 2b | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
C.Toups 2b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Moustakas 3b | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .556 |
M.Ramos 3b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
K.Morales dh | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .429 |
H.Arteaga pr-dh | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Snider rf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .111 |
J.Bonifacio rf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .286 |
B.Eibner lf | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .167 |
A.Escalera- Maldonado lf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
B.Fuenmayor 1b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .222 |
C.Decker ph-1b | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .286 |
Starling cf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
A.Fukofuka cf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
Butera c | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
Z.Evans c | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 |
Totals 31 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6 |
TableStyle: SP-basebattersCCI Template: SP-basebatters
Oakland AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | Avg. | |
Crisp cf | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .143 |
M.Chapman 3b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 |
Lowrie 2b | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .375 |
C.Pinder pr-2b | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .143 |
Reddick rf | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .667 |
Lambo rf-lf | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .500 |
Valencia 3b | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .429 |
Ladendorf cf | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 |
Vogt dh | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | .500 |
R.Ravelo ph-dh | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
B.Butler 1b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .200 |
Bry.Anderson c | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 |
McBride ph-c | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
Sogard ss | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .286 |
Barreto ss | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .286 |
Phegley c | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .250 |
Olson 1b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .111 |
Fuld lf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Smolinski rf | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .125 |
Totals 32 | 6 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 7 |
TableStyle: SP-basebyinningsCCI Template: SP-basebyinnings
Kansas City (ss) | 200 | 000 | 200 | — | 4 | 4 | 1 |
Oakland | 001 | 130 | 10x | — | 6 | 9 | 1 |
E: A.Fukofuka (1), Barreto (1). LOB: Kansas City 4, Oakland 5. 2B: C.Decker (1). HR: Moustakas (1), Vogt 2 (2). CS: Reddick (1).
TableStyle: SP-basepitchersCCI Template: SP-basepitchers
Kansas City | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
Zimmer | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1.80 |
S.Selman | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4.50 |
C.Binford L, 0-1 | 2 2/3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 11.25 |
J.Dziedzic | 1 1/3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3.86 |
TableStyle: SP-basepitchersCCI Template: SP-basepitchers
Oakland | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
Hahn | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9.00 |
Madson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
Axford | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0.00 |
E.Santos W, 1-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Graveman | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4.50 |
Fe.Rodriguez | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
Ta.Thompson S, 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5.40 |
Umpires: Home, Bill Miller; First, Jim Joyce; Second, Gerry Davis; Third, Pat Hoberg. Time: 2:34. Att: 4,615.
This story was originally published March 7, 2016 at 5:02 PM with the headline "Eric Hosmer sparks win over Cubs, Royals lose to A’s in split-squad games."