SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Ervin Santana struck out seven in four innings, Billy Butler and Salvador Perez hit run-singles and the Kansas City Royals beat the Seattle Mariners 4-2 Wednesday to improve their spring training record to 14-2.
Santana, acquired from the Los Angeles Angels during the offseason, allowed his only run on Carlos Truinfel’s third-inning homer. Santana gave up two hits and threw 35 of 53 pitches for strikeouts.
Hisashi Iwakuma retired the first nine Royals, eight on groundouts, before allowing four singles in the fourth — including the hits by Butler and Perez.
Elliot Johnson tripled leading off the sixth and scored on Xavier Nady’s single for a 3-2 lead.
Seattle has lost four straight and six of seven following a 10-game winning streak.
