Wed Jun 18 23:22:35 2008

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DeJesus, Gordon homer in eighth to push Royals over Cardinals

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St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - Alex Gordon hit the go-ahead solo home run in the eighth inning, doubled, and scored twice as the Kansas City Royals edged the St. Louis Cardinals, 3-2, in the second of a three-game set.

Brian Bannister (6-6) scattered nine hits and two runs over seven frames, with one strikeout and no walks for the Royals, who have taken the first two games of this interleague matchup. David DeJesus hit the game-tying solo homer in the eighth for Kansas City, which has won four straight and five of six.

Kyle McClellan (0-2) surrendered both homers in the eighth for the Cardinals, who have dropped four of six. Braden Looper took an unfortunate no-decision. allowing one run on five hits in his seven-inning start.

Skip Schumaker went 2-for-4 and scored for St. Louis, which lost despite outhitting the Royals, 11-7.

Trailing 2-0 entering the seventh, the Royals rallied with three runs over two frames, with Gordon playing a big part. He led off the seventh with a ground- rule double to right, then moved to third on Mark Teahen's infield single. John Buck came through with a clutch two-out base hit to left, plating Gordon with the Royals' first run.

Kansas City couldn't score again on that rally, but used two long balls to jump on top in the eighth. On two nearly identical swings, DeJesus lined a one-out solo shot to right, and Gordon ripped a two-out homer to right, both off of McClellan.

Schumaker and Aaron Miles hit consecutive singles to start the home eighth inning, but Ryan Ludwick flied out, and Ron Mahay came on for the Royals and fanned Rick Ankiel before getting Troy Glaus to ground out to short, ending the threat.

Joakim Soria mowed down the Cards in the ninth, getting three outs on eight pitches, all strikes, for his 17th save.

The Cards jumped right on top with a run in the first. Schumaker and Miles laced consecutive singles to start the inning, and Schumaker headed to third on Miles' base hit to right. Ludwick lifted a fly ball to right, deep enough to plate Schumaker for a 1-0 lead.

St.Louis added a run in the fourth. Ankiel singled up the middle with one out, moved to third on Chris Duncan's single to right, and came home on Jason LaRue's infield single to give the Cards a 2-0 edge.

Game Notes

The Cardinals will travel to KC for a three-game series from June 27-29. St. Louis holds a 26-21 advantage in their all-time interleague series with the Royals...Royals outfielder Jose Guillen went 0-for-4, ending his hitting streak at 11 games, which tied a career-best...The Cardinals failed to continue their trend of dropping the opener of a series, only to win the final two. St. Louis fell to 8-3 on the season in series' in which they dropped the opener. The only other team in the majors with more than four series wins after losing the opener is the LA Angels, who have done it five times.