KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer homered to lift the Kansas City Royals to a 5-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday.
The Royals scored four runs in the seventh, highlighted by third baseman Moustakas’ three-run homer with two out.
Left fielder Jarrod Dyson’s safety squeeze bunt single brought home second baseman Omar Infante for the first run of the inning.
Right-hander Edinson Volquez (9-5) claimed the victory, holding the Pirates to a run over 7 2/3 innings. He struck out eight, one shy of his season high, and yielded eight hits. It was his second longest outing of the year after throwing eight innings on April 9 in his Royals’ debut.
Right-hander Charlie Morton (6-4) suffered the loss, surrendering five runs on seven hits, two hit batters and a walk in 6 2/3 innings.
Volquez, who was 13-7 with a 3.04 ERA in 2014 for Pittsburgh, gave up five hits and a walk from the second through fourth innings, but only one run. The Pirates went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position those innings.
In the third, left fielder Jaff Decker walked, advanced to third on right fielder Gregory Polanco’s double to right and scored on second baseman Neil Walker’s sacrifice fly.
Hosmer tied it with a monstrous home run in the bottom of the fourth, an estimated 432 feet, on a 92 mph Morton fastball on a 2-1 count. It was Hosmer’s first home run since June 19.
NOTES: Royals LHP Jason Vargas was diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament that will require season-ending reconstructive elbow surgery. He was placed on the disabled list Wednesday, one day after he was activated for an abbreviated start. … Kansas City RHP Yordano Ventura, who was demoted Tuesday to Triple-A Omaha, was recalled and will start Sunday against the Houston Astros. … The Pirates brought up INF Pedro Florimon from Triple-A Indianapolis, where he hit .254 in 61 games. He started at shortstop Wednesday. Pittsburgh optioned RHP Wilfredo Boscan to Indianapolis and designated Class A Bradenton LHP Jayson Aquino for assignment. … The Royals will start RHP Chris Young on Thursday at St. Louis in the makeup of a June 14 rainout. The Cardinals will start RHP John Lackey. … LHP Francisco Liriano will pitch the series opener Thursday at Pittsburgh against the NL East-leading Washington Nationals, who will counter with RHP Doug Fister.