The Royals took advantage of some shoddy St. Louis defense early to build a lead against starter Mike Leake. The right-hander finished seven innings, but watched his record drop to 5-6 with the lack of run support.
The Cardinals tallied two hits -- solo homers from Brandon Moss and Jhonny Peralta -- but were also unable to take advantage of Royals starter Chris Young's command troubles. Young walked six in a 91-pitch, four-inning start, but was hurt only by Moss' homer.
Statcast: Moss' moonshot
KC@STL: Moss launches 454-foot home run to right
Statcast measures the exit velocity, launch angle, projected hang time and projected distance of Brandon Moss' long homer to right field
With the win, the Royals remained six games behind the American League Central-leading Indians. The Cardinals, now 15-23 at home, completed their first losing month (12-13) since June 2012.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
No slowing Mo: Morales continued his torrid hitting. He came into the game hitting .472 in his last 14 starts (25-for-53) and promptly doubled down the left-field line leading off the fourth. Morales, with Alex Gordon on second and one out in the sixth, raked a double off the right-field wall that gave the Royals a 3-1 lead. Morales saved his best for last -- he unleashed a blast that bounced off the facade of the third deck in left. Cardinal officials also estimated it at 456 feet, tying it for the longest homer by an opponent at the new Busch Stadium. Statcast™ had the homer measured with a 115.6 mph exit velocity.
Indefensible defense: The Cardinals' defense struggled in all three losses to the Royals this week. It was particularly porous on Thursday, as mistakes in the field helped the Royals to their first three runs. First-inning errors by Peralta and Brayan Pena helped gain a lead without recording a hit. Peralta's inability to finish a catch on a fly ball to left in the second led to another run. Then an errant pickoff throw preceded the Royals' sixth-inning tally. It was the Cardinals' sixth three-error game of the season.
Merrifield scores on an error
KC@STL: Merrifield swipes third, scores on an error
Whit Merrifield steals third base and scores on a throwing error by Brayan Pena in the top of the 1st to give the Royals an early 1-0 lead
That's what speed do: The Royals clearly came into the game wanting to run on former catcher Pena. In the first inning, after reaching on an error, Whit Merrifield took off for third in an attempted steal. He made it and scored on Pena's throwing error. In the second, Alcides Escobar singled with two out, stole second base and scored on Jarrod Dyson's popup to short left that was ruled a double.
Dyson's RBI double
KC@STL: Dyson skies an RBI double to left field
Jarrod Dyson lifts a fly ball to left field that drops in for an RBI double, extending the Royals' lead to 2-0 in the top of the 2nd inning
Lopsided matchup: Moss has crushed Young throughout his career, and he added another monstrous blast to that matchup history. Moss improved to 6-for-20 with five homers vs. Young when he belted a solo homer that Statcast™ estimated to travel 454 feet. According to Statcast™, the homer became the second longest hit at Busch Stadium this season -- until Morales' blast passed it four innings later.
WILD REVIEW
The Royals challenged an out call at first on a potential double-play grounder hit by Salvador Perez in the sixth. Cards second baseman Matt Carpenter bobbled the throw at the bag as he made his turn. Perez didn't run hard to first and Carpenter had time to still throw him out, or so the Cards thought. The play was overturned and Perez was safe -- that led to Matheny's ejection for then arguing with home-plate umpire and crew chief Mike Everitt.
Matheny is ejected in the 6th
KC@STL: Matheny gets tossed after Royals' challenge
Cardinals manager Mike Matheny gets ejected after the Royals win a challenge that overturns a double play in the top of the 6th inning
WHAT'S NEXT
Royals: Right-hander Ian Kennedy (6-6, 3.96 ERA) gets the ball on Friday at 6:05 p.m. CT for the opener of a three-game set against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Kennedy pitched seven innings against the Astros last Sunday and gave up one run and three hits while striking out 11.
Cardinals: Left-hander Jaime Garcia (5-6, 4.09) will get the start on Friday at 7:15 p.m. CT when the Cardinals open a three-game series against the Brewers at Busch Stadium. In two starts this season against the Brewers, Garcia gave up two runs in 14 innings.
Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV.
Jenifer Langosch has covered the Cardinals for MLB.com since 2012, and previously covered the Pirates from 2007-11. Read her blog, follow her on Twitter, like her Facebook page and listen to her podcast.
Jeffrey Flanagan has covered the Royals since 1991, and for MLB.com since 2015. Follow him on Twitter @FlannyMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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