KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Cole Ragans struck out 11 to win for the first time in a month, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Miami Marlins 4-1 on Monday night for just their fourth win in 15 games.
Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Perez and Hunter Renfroe hit solo homers off Roddery Muñoz (1-3), who has allowed six home runs in his last 10 innings.
Ragans (5-5) allowed one run, four hits and three walks in six innings. He had been 0-2 in five starts since beating Detroit on May 22.
Chris Stratton, John Schreiber and James McArthur each followed with a hitless inning as the Marlins were held to four hits or fewest for the 12th time. Miami is 6-14 in June. McArthur got his 13th save in 17 chances as the Royals stopped a three-game losing streak.
Kansas City pitchers struck out a season-high 15.
Bryan De La Cruz had a two-out RBI double in the third.
Muñoz gave up four runs, six hits and four walks in six innings.
Pasquantino led off the fourth with his eighth home run and Perez followed with his 12th on the next pitch, ending an 0-for-17 slump with the Royals’ first consecutive home runs since March 31. Kansas City, which entered with a 25-inning scoreless streak, also got Kyle Isbel’s two-out RBI single in the three-run inning.
Renfroe hit a 434-foot drive in the sixth for his seventh homer..
Michael Massey returned from a sprained lower back that had sidelined him since May 24 and was 1 for 3 as a designated hitter.
CJ Alexander, a 27-year-old who had been in the minor leagues since 2018, made his major league debut at third base for the Royals and went 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Kansas City selected Alexander’s contract from Omaha, optioned outfielder Nelson Velázquez to the Triple-A team and designed left-hander Jake Brentz for assignment.
Otto López had two hits for the Marlins.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Royals: INF dam Frazier placed on 10-day IL (right thumb sprain), retroactive to Sunday.
UP NEXT
Marlins RHP Yonny Chirinos (0-0, 3.60 ERA) opposes Royals RHP Seth Lugo (10-2, 2.42) on Tuesday night.
