MILWAUKEE (AP) - Brad Keller is doing his part to make sure the Kansas City Royals withstand the injuries that have decimated their starting rotation.
Keller earned his first win in more than six weeks Wednesday afternoon to help the Royals complete a season sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers with a 6-3 victory.
His solid performance came one day after Mike Minor's strong outing in a 5-2 triumph at Milwaukee. The Royals need other starters to step up after Danny Duffy and Brady Singer both went on the injured list Tuesday.
"Mikey going out there and giving a strong six innings yesterday, I just wanted to follow suit," Keller said. "Honestly, that was my goal. I feel like whenever we go on good streaks, the starters are usually rolling."
Nicky Lopez hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the sixth inning and Jorge Soler added a towering homer in the eighth.
The Brewers lead the N.L. Central and the Royals are last in the A.L. Central, yet Kansas City won all four meetings this year. The Royals swept a two-game series May 18-19 in Kansas City.
"We just didn't show up and take care of business the way we wanted to," Brewers second baseman Kolten Wong said. "But you've got to tip your cap to the Royals for coming in and playing good ball and just taking it to us."
On an afternoon when the Brewers made a pair of errors that caused Kansas City's first five runs to be unearned, two of the loudest ovations at the stadium came when the scoreboard showed video clips of Milwaukee Bucks players asking fans to get loud.
The Bucks won their first NBA championship since 1971 on Tuesday night, beating the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 in the downtown arena about three miles away from American Family Field.
About a dozen Brewers players attended the Bucks' title-clinching victory Tuesday night.
Keller (7-9) struck out six and allowed three runs and two walks in 62/3 innings to pick up a win for the first time since June 4. Keller had gone 0-5 with two no-decisions in his last seven starts.
But he has allowed only six runs in 202/3 innings in three July appearances. Keller credits his improvement to mechanical adjustments.
"I feel like my slider's been better," Keller said. "My fastball command has been better. I feel like today, especially, I've been able to pitch in more, which has always been one of my strengths in the previous few years. I feel like that's one thing I kind of got away from."
Scott Barlow retired the side in order in the ninth for his fifth save in eight opportunities.
Notes: Royals OF Michael A. Taylor left in the sixth inning with discomfort in his left wrist. The Royals take today off before hosting Detroit on Friday to start a three-game series. LHP Kris Bubic (2-4, 5.03 ERA) will start that game for the Royals. The Brewers are also off today before beginning a three-game home series Friday with the A.L. Central-leading Chicago White Sox. Probable starters are RHP Lucas Giolito (8-6, 3.90) for the White Sox and RHP Freddy Peralta (7-3, 2.39) for the Brewers.