Billy Butler’s 3-RBI’s key Win over Giants

The Kansas City Royals ran their winning steak to 5 games with a 4-2 victory over the Giants at Kauffman Stadium Friday night. Billy Butler led the way with 3 RBI’s, which included a 2-run home run in the 1st inning.

Jason Frasor picked up his 3rd win of the season as part of a bullpen effort that supplied 4 innings of scoreless relief.

The win puts Kansas City 8 games over .500 for the first time this season at 61-53. The Royals remain 2.5 games behind Detroit in the American League Central, and hold a slim 1/2 game lead over Seattle and New York for the 2nd wild card spot.

On the Mound

Jason Vargas lasted 5.0 innings, allowing 9 hits, 0 walks, 2 earned runs with 5 strikeouts. Left the game in after the 5th inning with the score tied 2-2.

Jason Frasor entered in the 6th to pitch a clean inning with 2 strikeouts. Frasor ended up with the win when the Royals rallied for 2 runs in the bottom of the 6th.

Kelvin Herrera pitched a scoreless 7th, allowing 1 hit and whiffing one batter.

Wade Davis came on in 8th, and escaped without allowing a run despite allowing 2 hits.

Greg Holland pitched a clean 9th inning to earn his 33rd save, while striking out 2.

At the Plate

Billy Butler was the story on offense, driving in 3 out of Kansas City’s 4 runs. Butler opened the scoring with a 2-run bomb to left center that travelled 437 feet. He then singled in the 6th to drive in the lead run. Overall, Butler went 2-3 on the night with a home run (7), single, 1 run scored, and 3 RBI’s.

Alex Gordon picked up Kansas City’s 4th RBI by following up Butler’s 6th inning RBI with a solid single to left to score Salvador Perez. Gordon went 1-3 with 1 RBI on the night.

Omar Infante was the only other Royal besides Butler to get 2 hits, going 2-4 with 2 runs scored.

This and That

Greg Holland leads the American League in saves with 33. He also has the highest save percentage with only 2 blown saves this season. Friday night’s save was the 100th of Holland’s career.

Nori Aoki saved 2 runs in the top of the 3rd by racking up 2 outfield assists in the same inning. First he caught Hunter Pence trying to go from first to third on a single, nailing him with a strong throw to Mike Moustakas. Next Aoki ended the inning when he threw out Joaquin Arias at home plate aided by a nice tag from Salvador Perez. The Giants scored 2 runs in the frame despite Aoki’s heroics.

KC Kingdom Player of the Game

Billy Butler earns the honor with his monster home run and 3 RBI’s on the day. Butler looks like he’s turning his season around at long last.