SEATTLE (AP) - Alex Gordon hit a pair of RBI doubles and four Kansas City pitchers combined to hold the Seattle Mariners to six hits in the Royals 2-1 victory Sunday afternoon.
Rookie left-hander Everett Teaford (1-0) pitched five scoreless innings, allowing three hits, walking one and striking out five to pick up his first big league victory in his first career start after 23 relief appearances.
Blake Wood took over in the seventh and tossed two hitless innings, retiring six straight, four on strikeouts.
Greg Holland gave up a two-out RBI double to Ichiro Suzuki in the eighth.
Joakim Soria pitched the ninth to pick up his 28th save in 35 opportunities.
Kansas City got a break in the third inning when Alcides Escobar stroked a two-out single to left and Gordon lifted a routine fly to Mike Carp. The left fielder battled to track the ball in the sun, finally losing it to his right.
Escobar never broke stride, scoring without a throw and Gordon was credited with a RBI double.
Anthony Vasquez (1-3), who entered with a 9.00 ERA in his three previous starts, went six-plus innings - his longest career outing - allowing seven hits, two runs with two strikeouts and no walks.
Vasquez put down a couple of minor threats in the middle innings. In the fifth with one out, he hit Chris Getz and Escobar followed with a single to center. He then struck out Gordon and Melky Cabrera lined out to center when Casper Wells made a nice sliding catch.
In the sixth, Eric Hosmer launched a one-out double into the right-center gap, but Jeff Francoeur popped out to second and Yamaico Navarro bounced out to short.
Vasquez, however, couldn't escape a self-induced jam in the seventh. Brayan Pena opened with a single to center then Getz laid down a sacrifice bunt. Vasquez booted it, putting runners on first and second with no outs.
Shawn Kelley took over. Escobar struck out when he failed to put down a bunt with two strikes. Gordon followed with his second double, a shot against the left-center wall. Pena scored while Getz held up at third and Kelley got out of the jam without more damage.
The Royals displayed their defensive prowess in the fourth. With Dustin Ackley on first, Carp lined out to right-fielder Jeff Francoeur. He quickly threw to first to double off Ackley.
It was the Royals' 50th outfield assist, most in the majors. It also was the most in the big leagues since 2002 and three short of the club record.
Notes: Seattle hosts the AL East-leading New York Yankees for three games beginning Monday. The Mariners will start their ace, RH Felix Hernandez (14-11, 3.15), Monday, followed by lefties Charlie Furbush (3-8, 4.84) and Jason Vargas (8-13, 4.49). The Yankees have a 2.5 game lead over Boston. Hernandez is 6-3 with a 2.82 ERA in 10 career starts against the Yankees. ... The Royals have Monday off before beginning a six-game homestand against Minnesota and the Chicago White Sox. Bruce Chen (10-7, 4.30) takes the mound. He is 1-4 with a 6.59 ERA in 15 career starts against the Twins. ... Royals DH Billy Butler singled in the fourth to break a 0-for-17 slide. ... The Mariners struck out 12 times. In the four-game series, Royals pitchers struck out 51 Mariners. ... RH Steve Delabar made his big league debut for the Mariners in the ninth. He is the 12th player to debut this season for Seattle.