Houston Astros vs Kansas City Royals Box Score on Aug 18, 2021

Hunter Dozier's two-run home run in the seventh inning gave Kansas City a 3-2 victory over the visiting Houston Astros on Wednesday night, the Royals' third consecutive victory to open a four-game series.

The game ended on a play at the plate, when Royals left fielder Andrew Benintendi threw out Chas McCormick trying to score from second on Jose Altuve's single.

The Royals earned their 31st come-from-behind victory of the season, three of them coming the past three days against the Astros. Kansas City will attempt to complete the sweep Thursday afternoon.

The loss dropped the Astros to 33-25 this year against teams with a losing record. They are 37-25 against teams with a .500 record or better.

Domingo Tapia (1-0) got the victory after retiring the only batter he faced. Scott Barlow earned his seventh save despite giving up three hits in the ninth inning.

Blake Taylor (2-4) took the loss after serving up Dozier's homer.

Houston's Zack Greinke and Kansas City's Brady Singer both had quality starts, but neither got a decision. Greinke gave up one run on five hits in six innings. He didn't walk or strike out any Royals.

Singer allowed two runs on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.

Singer gave up a one-out walk in the first but didn't allow a hit in the first three innings. He struck out the side -- all looking -- in the third. He yielded his first hit in the fourth on a Carlos Correa bloop single with one out.

Greinke started with three perfect innings. He also allowed his first hit with one out in the fourth, when Nicky Lopez grounded one up the middle. That was the first of three straight singles, with Salvador Perez sending Lopez to third and Carlos Santana driving in the game's first run.

With two outs in the seventh, Singer gave up back-to-back hits to Yuli Gurriel and McCormick and walked Jake Meyers to load the bases. Pinch hitter Jason Castro hit a two-run single to center to give the Astros a 2-1 lead.

Greinke came out of the game before the bottom of the seventh, and the Royals capitalized. Benintendi led off with a double off Taylor, and Dozier followed with his 10th home run of the season to give the Royals the lead.

--Field Level Media