SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) Chris Young threw 4 1-3 hitless innings and Salvador Perez homered as the Kansas City Royals beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 Tuesday night.
Young made his fourth start and walked three and struck out five before reaching his pitch limit. He was replaced by rookie left-hander Scott Alexander, who gave up an RBI-double to Rico Noel.
“Chris was awesome,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “We wanted to get his pitch count up to 75 and we did. We got to 78. I went out and told him, `CY you exceeded your pitch count. Dave (Eiland, pitching coach) is getting a little nervous.’ He said, `Does Dave know that I’m throwing a no-hitter.’ I think he does. He was fantastic.”
Perez hit his third homer in the fourth on a 3-1 pitch by Alex Wood. He also drove in a run in the second with a groundout. Omar Infante singled home Alex Gordon for the other Kansas City run.
“We scratched together a couple of runs there early and Salvy’s home run was all the offense we needed,” Yost said. “Our pitching is right where it needs to be. We’re progressing very nicely.”
Wood allowed three runs on six hits, walked none and struck out four.
“I’m right on track to be good to go for opening week for sure,” Wood said. “I thought my stuff was good. I thought I was efficient again, which I was happy about. I felt I really attacked the strike zone pretty well.”
Royals designated hitter Kendrys Morales went 2 for 3 with a double and scored a run.
STARTING TIME
Dodgers: Wood threw 62 pitches, 42 for strikes, and also balked in the Royals’ two-run second inning.
“It was kind of a weird second inning with the balk,” Wood said. “It’s my fault. I got a little crossed up with (catcher A.J. Ellis). I wasn’t going to throw a fastball. I didn’t know if he knew what was coming. He didn’t know what I was going to throw.”
Royals: Young threw 43 strikes in 78 pitches, facing 17 batters.
“His fastball command, he still needs to polish up just a little bit,” Yost said. “His slider was excellent. His changeup was great, but for the most part I thought he threw the ball really well.”
Tuesday night’s game was broadcast locally on KTTN AM 1600 and KTTN FM 92.3.
ATTENDANCE RECORD
The announced attendance was 11,781, breaking the Royals’ attendance record for a Surprise Stadium game. The previous high was 11,517, on March 25, 2003 against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
COLEMAN DAZZLES
Dodgers right-hander Louis Coleman, a former Royal, pitched a scoreless fifth, allowing a single to Mike Moustakas and striking out Travis Snider. Coleman has worked seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out 10.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: OF Andrew Ethier (fractured right tibia) is expected to miss 10 to 14 weeks. … C Yasmani Grandal (forearm strain) is hopeful to play Thursday. … RHP Mike Bolsinger (strained oblique) is unlikely to be ready when the season starts.
Royals: RHP Edinson Volquez, who missed his previous start with arm fatigue, will start Wednesday in a minor league game. … RHP Yordano Ventura skipped his last start after a stomach virus but will pitch in a minor league Thursday. … LHP Tim Collins is back after returning home for the birth of his daughter. Collins is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery on March 11, 2015 and appears on target to return in May.
NEXT UP
Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA in four outings. He will start Thursday at the Indians with the Dodgers off Wednesday.
Royals: RHP Kris Medlen will start against the Indians, who will counter with RHP Danny Salazar.
