HOUSTON Two grand slams by the same team in the same game isnt something you see very often. Its also not very often that a team can say that an offensive outburst like that isnt even their biggest scoring day of the week.
The Royals, having scored 15 runs and collected 19 hits earlier in the road trip, smashed their way to a 12-2 win over the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on Tuesday night. They hit three home runs and collected 13 hits against the Astros pitching staff.
Ryan OHearn and Whit Merrifield each hit the first grand slam of their respective major league careers to account for eight of the 12 runs the Royals scored. They became the first pair of Royals to hit grand slams in the same game since Abraham Nunez and John Buck did so against the Oakland Athletics in Oakland on Aug. 13, 2004.
Jorge Soler also blasted a solo homer as the Royals evened their three-game series at one game apiece heading into Wednesdays rubber match.
Soler started the scoring with a solo home run off the top of the batters eye behind the center-field wall. Solers blast tied him with Hunter Dozier for the team lead in homers (nine) and gave the Royals a 1-0 advantage in the second inning.
Royals starting pitcher Danny Duffy (1-1) had to wriggle out of a bases-loaded jam in the second inning after he gave up a leadoff double to Michael Brantley and two-out walks to Aledmys Diaz and Robinson Chirinos. He got Jake Marisnick to ground out for the third out.
The Royals tacked on five runs in the third after Merrifield started the frame with the clubs 20th triple of the season. Merrifield scored on Adalberto Mondesis RBI double down the left-field line. Then after a walk by Alex Gordon, a fielders choice that allowed Dozier to reach and Soler loaded the bases, OHearn lined the first pitch from Collin McHugh into the right-field stands for the teams first grand slam of the season.
OHearns fourth home run of the season, put the Royals ahead 6-0.
They added another two in the fourth on a Merrifield RBI single and a Dozier RBI triple. McHugh allowed eight runs on seven hits (two home runs) and three walks in three innings.
The Astros didnt get into the scoring column until Alex Bregman squared up a Duffy 2-1 pitch that stayed in the middle of the plate for a solo homer to left-center field.
The Royals second grand slam came in the seventh inning. With OHearn (fielders choice), Chris Owings (hit by pitch) and Martin Maldonado (single) on base, Merrifield jumped on a 1-0 pitch and sent it sailing high and far to left-center field for the Royals second grand slam of the night.
Duffy finished the day having allowed two runs (the second scored after he left the game with two outs in the seventh) on six hits and three walks in 6 2/3 innings. He also struck out five to pick up his first win of the season.
Royals reliever Glenn Sparkman pitched the final 2 1/3 innings, the first time hes pitched in his home state as a major leaguer.
The Astros put infielder Tyler White on the mound for the ninth inning instead of using up anymore of their bullpen.
