KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - George Springer has more home runs in the past four games than any Kansas City player does this season.
Springer homered in his fourth straight game and went 4 for 4 with three RBIs and five runs scored in the Houston Astros’ 9-2 victory over the Royals on Monday night.
“Springer was absolutely tremendous, just line drive after line drive,” Astros manager Bo Porter said. “He was special. The two doubles and the home run, the great catch in right field and scoring from second base on a bloop single that not many guys would have been able to score on. He impacted the game in every phase tonight.
“This guy is a three-way player. He can impact the game when he’s in the batter’s box. He can impact the game on defense. He can impact the game on the basepaths. He brings it every day, is what I love about him.”
The Astros have won three straight, matching their longest winning streak this season, and they snapped a six-game losing streak to the Royals.
Springer led off the eighth with a home run against Louis Coleman, his fifth homer in four games. The Royals’ home run leader has four.
Springer is the first Houston rookie to homer in four straight games. Lance Berkman was the previous Astros player to do it, in July 2010.
“He’s impressive,” said Eric Hosmer, robbed by Springer of an extra-base hit with a superb catch to end the seventh inning. “He plays hard and doesn’t get cheated at the plate. He drives the ball.”
Springer also had two doubles and became the first Astros player to score five runs in a game since Cody Ransom on Sept. 24, 2007, against St. Louis. Springer extended his hitting streak to eight games, and is 8 for 16 with 11 RBIs and 10 runs in the past five.
It was a magical night for him.
“I guess,” Springer said. “But at the same time, I’m just trying to help the team win and whatever way I can do it, I’m happy to help.”
Scott Feldman (3-2) held the Royals to two runs and eight hits over six innings.
“I thought Scott did a tremendous job with his secondary stuff,” Porter said. “His curveball had a really good bite and he did a good job for six strong innings.”
Royals rookie starter Yordano Ventura was led off the field by a trainer in the third inning after experiencing discomfort in his elbow. The hard-throwing right-hander is scheduled for an MRI on Tuesday.
“He was getting under pitches and his velocity dropped in the third inning,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “I came out and decided to check it. I talked to him in the second inning and he said, ’Yeah, it’s good.’ I went out and he told me he was feeling a little something in the back of his elbow, but it’s on the outside, not on the inside.”
Ventura (2-5) went 2 2-3 innings, yielding five runs on seven hits and three walks before being replaced by Michael Mariot.
“In the third inning, I threw a few pitches and it started to feel a little weird,” Ventura said. “I felt something unnatural. It was a little uncomfortable, unnatural, and I decided to say something.”
The Astros had a season-high 16 hits, including a career-high four from Marwin Gonzalez, who had a double, an RBI and a run scored. Alex Presley added three hits and Dexter Fowler reached base five times with two hits and three walks.
The nine runs matched an Astros season high.
Lorenzo Cain had four hits, equaling his career high, and drove in a run for the Royals, who have lost five of seven.
NOTES: Royals 2B Omar Infante (lower back) was activated from the disabled list and doubled in the first inning. RHP Casey Coleman was optioned to Triple-A Omaha. … Astros RHP Brad Peacock, scratched from Friday’s scheduled outing with forearm stiffness, threw a bullpen session and was given the OK to start Thursday against Baltimore. … Royals LHP Bruce Chen, on the disabled list with a bulging disk, threw a 25-pitch simulated game. Chen could soon go on a minor league rehab assignment. … The Astros recalled OF Robbie Grossman from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
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