SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Ian Kennedy struck out nine of the first 18 Kansas City batters he faced in a strong final outing before he starts for Arizona on opening day.
Luke Hochevar, who will pitch the season opener for the Royals, also got his final spring tuneup, allowing four runs and eight hits in four innings before his teammates rallied. Kansas City scored six times in the final two innings to beat the Diamondbacks 9-6 Saturday in front of a sun-drenched sellout crowd of 12,443 at Arizona’s new Salt River Fields home.
Kennedy threw 100 pitches over five innings plus one batter. He allowed three runs and five hits, walking one.
Kila Ka’aihue hit a two-run homer off Kennedy in the first inning. Russell Branyan had a two-run double in Arizona’s three-run first and Kelly Johnson hit a solo home run off Hochevar in the fourth.
