KANSAS CITY -- A lesson was learned this week: even cavernous Kauffman Stadium, home of the vaunted Royals pitching staff, cannot contain the power of George Springer.Springer skied a first-inning two-run homer and reached base four times to help the Astros complete a three-game sweep of Kansas City with a 9-3 win Wednesday. The rookie sensation, fresh off a three-home run series against the Mariners, terrorized the Royals and scoffed at their notoriously pitcher-friendly confines, finishing the series 6-for-11 with two home runs, two doubles, five RBIs, eight runs scored and four walks. 
Springer has now gone deep in five of his last six games, with six total home runs during that span. Springer's ninth homer of May set the franchise rookie record for home runs in a single month, set previously by Glenn Davis (eight) in September 1985.Houston extended its winning streak to five games and improved its record to 10-5 in its last 15 games. The Astros finished their 10-game, 10-day road trip 6-4.The three-game sweep of a floundering Royals team was decisive.Houston outscored Kansas City, 21-5, collected 39 hits compared to the Royals' 21 and drew 15 more walks than the opposition.Astros starters allowed three runs in 18 innings (1.50 ERA), while Royals starters allowed 11 runs in 12 2/3 innings (7.82 ERA).Astros manager Bo Porter offset Royals starter Danny Duffy's effectiveness against left-handed batters (1-for-23 entering the game) with an entirely right-handed lineup Wednesday.Chris Carter, who sat out the last three games, made a loud return to the lineup with a pair of home runs -- a solo shot in the fifth, then a three-run blast in the sixth.Carlos Corporan was another new face in the lineup. The catcher collected three hits, including an RBI double, and a walk.Starter Jarred Cosart earned the win, allowing two runs (one earned) over five innings. He allowed four hits to go with two walks and struck out one.Springer's round-tripper in the series opener was a no-doubter. Conversely, the two-run shot in the first inning Wednesday towered in the air off the bat and landed in the first row of the bleachers in left-center field, out of the reach of leaping center fielder Jarrod Dyson.In the second inning, Springer displayed another trait that made him a blue chip prospect: his patience.Springer came up with two runners on and two out and quickly fell behind, 1-2. He worked the count full, then left a Duffy curveball low for ball four.One batter later, Dexter Fowler smacked a two-run single to put Houston up, 4-0.Robbie Grossman made a pair of run-saving catches. In the fourth, the left fielder made a sliding grab to strand a runner at second, and he left another run in scoring position with a running catch at his shoelaces in the fifth.Second baseman Jose Altuve snapped his franchise-record streak of 88 errorless games, dropping a popup in the sixth inning.Jackson Alexander / MLB.com
Springer has now gone deep in five of his last six games, with six total home runs during that span. Springer's ninth homer of May set the franchise rookie record for home runs in a single month, set previously by Glenn Davis (eight) in September 1985.Houston extended its winning streak to five games and improved its record to 10-5 in its last 15 games. The Astros finished their 10-game, 10-day road trip 6-4.The three-game sweep of a floundering Royals team was decisive.Houston outscored Kansas City, 21-5, collected 39 hits compared to the Royals' 21 and drew 15 more walks than the opposition.Astros starters allowed three runs in 18 innings (1.50 ERA), while Royals starters allowed 11 runs in 12 2/3 innings (7.82 ERA).Astros manager Bo Porter offset Royals starter Danny Duffy's effectiveness against left-handed batters (1-for-23 entering the game) with an entirely right-handed lineup Wednesday.Chris Carter, who sat out the last three games, made a loud return to the lineup with a pair of home runs -- a solo shot in the fifth, then a three-run blast in the sixth.Carlos Corporan was another new face in the lineup. The catcher collected three hits, including an RBI double, and a walk.Starter Jarred Cosart earned the win, allowing two runs (one earned) over five innings. He allowed four hits to go with two walks and struck out one.Springer's round-tripper in the series opener was a no-doubter. Conversely, the two-run shot in the first inning Wednesday towered in the air off the bat and landed in the first row of the bleachers in left-center field, out of the reach of leaping center fielder Jarrod Dyson.In the second inning, Springer displayed another trait that made him a blue chip prospect: his patience.Springer came up with two runners on and two out and quickly fell behind, 1-2. He worked the count full, then left a Duffy curveball low for ball four.One batter later, Dexter Fowler smacked a two-run single to put Houston up, 4-0.Robbie Grossman made a pair of run-saving catches. In the fourth, the left fielder made a sliding grab to strand a runner at second, and he left another run in scoring position with a running catch at his shoelaces in the fifth.Second baseman Jose Altuve snapped his franchise-record streak of 88 errorless games, dropping a popup in the sixth inning.Jackson Alexander / MLB.com
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