Royals 3, Mariners 2

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – John Buck hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning to lead the Kansas City Royals to a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

Seattle right fielder Ichiro Suzuki, the majors’ leading hitter, left the game with a mild concussion in the third inning when he was hit in the head by a pitch from rookie starter Jimmy Serrano.

Suzuki, batting .366 and with a major league-leading 189 hits, lay face down in the batter’s box for several minutes before coming to his feet and walking to the dugout. He was examined by the Royals’ team physician and is not expected to play Thursday.

With the Royals trailing 2-1 in the eighth, Desi Relaford hit a one-out single to right, and Buck sent Ryan Franklin’s first pitch over the left-field wall for his fifth homer.

D.J. Carrasco (2-1) pitched two perfect innings in relief of Serrano for the win.

Franklin (3-12) retired 15 straight in one stretch, but lost his seventh straight decision. He allowed three runs and five hits in eight innings.

Jolbert Cabrera’s two-run home run had given Seattle a 2-1 lead in the seventh as the Mariners sought back-to-back road wins for the first time since mid-June.

Serrano had allowed just two hits until Bucky Jacobsen singled with one out in the seventh. Cabrera then hit a 1-0 pitch into left field which came down on top of the bullpen fence and bounced over for his fourth homer.

Franklin got 15 straight outs before Buck doubled with one out in the sixth and scored on an RBI single by David DeJesus.

Serrano went seven innings and gave up just two runs on five hits, with three walks and two strikeouts. The right-hander also benefitted from several standout defensive plays by his infield.

Shortstop Andres Blanco and second baseman Ruben Gotay got a big ovation from the crowd for a spectacular play the two Kansas City rookies executed in the sixth. Randy Winn hit a hard shot to Gotay’s right that looked like as if it would get through for a single. But Gotay made a stabbing stop and flipped the ball to Blanco, whose off-balance throw nipped the runner at first.

Blanco also made a couple of nifty 6-3 double plays in the third and fifth innings.

Notes: The Mariners hadn’t won consecutive road games since sweeping Pittsburgh June 18-20. … Royals C Mike Tonis, who is playing for Greece in the Olympics, cleared waivers Wednesday and was outrighted to Double-A Wichita. … With the addition of right-hander Matt Kinney, the Royals have tied their team record with 53 players used. … Seattle has won six of its last seven season series against the Royals. … Kansas City first baseman Mike Sweeney is day to day with stiffness in his lower back. … When Suzuki made an out in his first at-bat, he missed a chance to be just the second man to hit leadoff homers in three straight games.

AP-ES-08-18-04 2226EDT