Wacha improves to 7-0, Cards end 3-game skid by beating KC

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Michael Wacha throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Sunday, May 24, 2015, in Kansas City, Mo.
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Michael Wacha throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Sunday, May 24, 2015, in Kansas City, Mo.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Unbeaten Michael Wacha won for the seventh straight time this year and the St. Louis Cardinals ended their season-worst three-game losing streak by beating the Kansas City Royals 6-1 Sunday.

Wacha held the majors' best-hitting team to one unearned run and five singles in seven innings. He exited with a 1.87 ERA and became the first Cardinals pitcher to start 7-0 since Matt Morris began 8-0 in 2005.

Matt Carpenter hit a two-run homer in the sixth off Yordano Ventura (3-4).

Down 4-1, the Royals loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth, but Alex Gordon flied out.

Ventura started off shaky, walking the first two hitters on 10 pitches and both scored. Jhonny Peralta hit an RBI single and Matt Adams doubled home a run.

Ventura, who threw 30 pitches in the first, settled down after that and didn't allow another hit until the sixth.

Yadier Molina drove in two runs with a two-out single in the eighth. Adams doubled twice.

Salvador Perez extended his hitting streak to 10 games and singled home a run for the Royals.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Cardinals: LF Matt Holliday was a late scratch from the lineup with a bruised left forearm after being hit by a pitch from Edinson Volquez on Saturday. . OF Jason Heyward (hip tightness) was held out of the lineup for the second straight day.

Royals: OF Alex Rios (fractured left hand) left Sunday to join Triple-A Omaha for a minor league rehab assignment. . 3B Mike Moustakas (bruised left clavicle) left in the fifth inning Saturday, but was in the lineup Sunday.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez will start the opener of a nine-game homestand Monday against the Diamondbacks.

Royals: RHP Jeremy Guthrie, who starts the series opener at New York, is 5-10 with a 4.92 ERA in 19 appearances against the Yankees.

Related video:

Cardinals vs. Royals highlights