Kevin Gausman allowed two runs over seven solid innings in his Cubs debut and Pedro Ramirez homered and singled as Chicago won its fifth straight, defeating the host Kansas City Royals 6-4 on Friday.
Acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays last weekend, Gausman (6-10) found a rhythm following a hectic first inning. He yielded just four hits and a walk while striking out four on 96 pitches.
Jacob Webb retired the side in the ninth and registered his seventh save as the Cubs improved to 19-6 in their past 25 road games. Chicago’s Seiya Suzuki and Michael Busch collected two hits apiece, and Suzuki drove in two runs.
Carter Jensen homered and Jac Caglianone had two hits for the Royals, who took their sixth loss in eight games.
Gausman walked Jensen to open the first, then retired the next two batters before Salvador Perez lined a ball off the right-hander’s lower right leg. Gausman stayed in the game, then yielded Isaac Collins’ RBI double.
Chicago answered with four runs in the second.
With two outs, Royals opener Daniel Lynch IV (4-3) allowed consecutive singles to Carson Kelly and Ramirez, then walked Dansby Swanson. Pete Crow-Armstrong reached on an infield single that plated Kelly, and Ramirez also scored on the play via second baseman Michael Massey’s throwing error.
With Jose Cuas on the mound, Crow-Armstrong stole his 30th base of the season, and Suzuki singled down the right field line to score two.
Lynch, one of Kansas City’s top relievers, was making his first start of the year. He was charged with four runs while allowing three hits and two walks over 1 2/3 innings. Lynch struck out two.
After the first, Gausman allowed just one more hit before Jensen cleared the left field fence with a two-out, opposite-field solo homer in the fifth.
The Cubs regained their three-run lead in the seventh against Mason Black. Crow-Armstrong opened with a walk, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on Alex Bregman’s single. An inning later, Ramirez lined a Black pitch over the right field fence for a 6-2 Cubs lead.
After Gausman exited, Caleb Thielbar allowed an eighth-inning double to Tyler Tolbert, who scored on Bobby Witt Jr.’s single. After Caglianone doubled, Trent Thornton came on to pitch, and the Royals got closer on Perez’s RBI groundout.
