KANSAS CITY -- Ryan McMahon homered in the first inning and hit a go-ahead single in a six-run eighth to lead the Colorado Rockies past the Kansas City Royals 7-2 on Friday night and stop a four-game losing streak.
Elias Díaz and Nolan Jones hit two-run doubles in the eighth, among six hits by the Rockies in the inning. McMahon has reached safely in 11 consecutive games, batting .425 (17-for-40) with five homers and 15 RBI.
Kansas City has lost nine of its past 12, dropping to 17-40.
Brent Suter (4-0) allowed one hit during two scoreless innings. Justin Lawrence struck out Jackie Bradley Jr. with the bases loaded for his second career save and first this year.
After McMahon’s first-inning homer, Lyles retired 13 of his next 15 batters. He allowed two hits during five innings, striking out eight.
Lyles has allowed runs in the first inning of 10-of-12 starts, giving up 15 runs in the first.
“He threw the ball great,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “He worked the ball up and down in the zone. It was a really positive outing.”
Kansas City built a 2-1 lead on homers by Edward Olivares in the second and Drew Waters in the third. Both were off Chase Anderson, who gave up four hits in six innings.
“Obviously wish I could have a couple of pitches back,” Anderson said. “The lazy curveball to Olivares and then the first pitch to Waters weren’t great pitches.”
Brenton Doyle singled and Ezequiel Tovar doubled off Carlos Hernández (0-3) starting the eighth. Jurickson Profar tied the score with a run-scoring groundout and McMahon looped an opposite-field single into left for a 3-2 lead. Nick Wittgren relieved, and Díaz doubled on his first pitch for a three-run advantage.
“They don’t all have to be pretty. They just have to work,” McMahon said. “The guy throws really hard. Just tried to battle and put a ball in play. Honestly, it doesn’t matter how it happens, it just matters that it does happen.”
Notes: Royals LHP Amir Garrett was placed on the 15-day IL, retroactive to Tuesday, with left elbow valgus extension overload. Royals RHP Jackson Kowar was recalled from Triple-A Omaha. … Colorado LHP Austin Gomber (4-4, 7.00 ERA) opposes LHP Daniel Lynch (0-0, 3.38) this afternoon.