KANSAS CITY, Mo. – It has been 23 years since the Kansas City Royals logged consecutive shutouts.
Yordano Ventura, Kelvin Herrera and Wade Davis combined on a four-hitter and the Royals beat the
Cincinnati Reds 3-0 on Tuesday night.
The Royals, who beat the New York Yankees 6-0 on Sunday, had back-to-back shutouts for the first time
since Sept. 29-30, 1992, when Dennis Rasmussen and Rick Reed blanked the California Angels.
The Reds have lost four straight, matching their longest streak of the season.
Ventura (3-3), who was 0-3 in his five previous starts since a victory on April 12, allowed four singles,
struck out six and walked none. He reached a three-ball count on only four hitters and retired all of
them, lowering his ERA to 4.56.
"This is the best I’ve felt this season," Ventura said with teammate Christian Colon acting as
his interpreter. "All my pitches were sharp. I was just focused on having my pitches down in the
zone and having quality pitches."
Ventura left his previous start with an index fingernail tear and that flared up again.
"I started to feel something in the sixth inning and Ned (Yost, manager) just told him let’s get
your ready for the next start, let’s take you out of this one," Ventura said.
Ventura retired 14 on ground balls.
"He went seven innings and got a lot of ground balls," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "It
shows what a plus fastball, plus changeup can do.  When he changes speeds like that you have to gear up
for the velocity and then adjust when he changes speeds.  He did a good job."
Herrera gave up a walk in the eighth, but nothing else. Davis worked a spotless ninth, claiming his
seventh save in as many opportunities. Yost said Davis finished because closer Greg Holland woke up with
a stiff neck.
Mike Moustakas went 3 for 4 with two doubles and drove in two runs. His double in the fifth drove in one
run and his seventh-inning double made it 3-0.
Infante, who had two hits, drove home the other run with a two-out single in the second.
Reds right-hander Johnny Cueto (3-4) allowed three runs and nine hits, while walking one and striking out
four.
"They’re a good team. There are no excuses," Cueto said through a translator. "I did what
I had to do."