Willson Contreras hits pair of 2-run homers in Cardinals' 8-5 victory over Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Willson Contreras hit a pair of two-run homers and the St. Louis Cardinals rallied to beat the Kansas City Royals 8-5 on Friday night.

Contreras opened the scoring in the first with a two-run shot off the top of the bullpen fence in right and added another two-run shot in the ninth, blasting his 15th homer 424 feet to left for his 15th multi-homer game.

Trailing 5-3 after five innings, the Cardinals scored five runs on seven hits against six relievers.

Will Smith (0-4) retired one of three batters faced in the eighth and, after a failed Kansas City challenge on a potential inning-ending double play grounder, St. Louis took a 6-5 lead on Victor Scott II’s two-out, two-run double.

Matthew Liberatore (3-3) threw three hitless innings in relief of Miles Mikolas, who allowed five runs on eight hits in four innings. Mikolas has a 7.11 ERA over his past five starts. Ryan Hensley allowed a hit and a walk in finishing for his 37th save.

Alec Burleson lined his team-leading 20th home run to right stands leading off the third as the Cardinals built a 3-0 lead.

Kyle Isbel’s third-inning RBI triple snapped his 0-for-21 slide, plating the first run Mikolas surrendered to the Royals after 19 career scoreless frames. RBI singles by Michael Massey and Salvador Perez tied it.

Maikel Garcia’s RBI double into the left-field corner and Massey’s deep sacrifice fly to center gave Kansas City a 5-3 lead in the fourth.

Michael Lorenzen made his second start since his July 29 acquisition from Texas, working 4 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

Massey had three of Kansas City’s 10 hits.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals RHP John Schreiber (right knee patella tendon inflammation) threw a bullpen session Thursday.

UP NEXT

Cardinals RHP Andre Pallante (4-6, 4.43 ERA) was set to start Saturday against RHP Michael Wacha (8-6, 3.55).

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