KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ian Kennedy knew Kansas City needed a long outing, and he delivered.
Kennedy struck out 11 over seven innings, Kendrys Morales hit two home runs and the Royals snapped the Houston Astros’ seven-game winning streak with a 6-1 victory Sunday.
After Royals starters Edinson Volquez and Chris Young were roughed up in blowout losses in the first two games of this series, lasting a total of 3 1/3 innings, Kennedy allowed one run and three hits with one walk.
Kennedy (6-6) struck out his final four batters and finished one shy of matching his career best in strikeouts.
Morales connected for a solo drive in the fourth and seventh. Cheslor Cuthbert hit a two-run shot against Doug Fister (8-4) during Kansas City’s five-run seventh.
Lorenzo Cain had three of the Royals’ 13 hits.
Fister, who was 7-0 in his previous 10 starts, lost for the first time since April 25. He gave up four runs and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings, including three home runs.
Evan Gattis hit a leadoff homer in the sixth for Houston.
Astros star Jose Altuve singled in the fourth to extend his streak of reaching base safely to 29 straight games, matching his career high set last year and the longest active streak in the majors.