Cole Ragans delivered an impressive performance, allowing just one run over six innings and striking out 11 to lead the Kansas City Royals to a 4-1 victory against the visiting Miami Marlins on Monday night, in the first game of a three-game series. Ragans (5-5) gave up four hits and walked three over a season-high 108 pitches. Chris Stratton pitched a scoreless seventh inning, John Schreiber overcame an error to shut down Miami in the eighth, and James McArthur closed out the ninth for his 13th save. Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Perez, and Hunter Renfroe each homered for the Royals, who snapped a three-game losing streak and ended a 25-inning scoreless drought when Pasquantino homered to start the bottom of the fourth inning. Otto Lopez collected two of the Marlins’ four hits; Miami had won four of their previous five games. Rookie right-hander Roddery Munoz (1-3) of the Marlins gave up four runs and six hits over six innings, striking out four and walking four in his seventh major league start. Jazz Chisholm Jr. walked with two outs in the third, and Bryan De La Cruz doubled over third baseman CJ Alexander’s head, allowing Chisholm to score for a 1-0 lead. Munoz didn’t allow a hit until Pasquantino’s fourth-inning homer tied the game at 1-1. Perez followed with a homer on the next pitch, ending an 0-for-17 slump and putting Kansas City up 2-1. The inning continued with a single from Michael Massey, returning after a 27-game absence due to a back injury. After walking MJ Melendez, Munoz got the next two outs, but Kyle Isbel’s liner off shortstop Tim Anderson’s glove into center field scored Massey for a 3-1 lead. Renfroe’s solo homer in the sixth extended the lead to 4-1. The Royals called up Alexander from Triple-A Omaha earlier Monday, and he made his major league debut at third base.
