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Fister struggles in sixth inning, Astros fall to Royals 6-2

HOUSTON (AP) — Doug Fister settled down after a shaky first inning and cruised through the fifth for the Houston Astros on Thursday night.

Following a fielding gaffe, Fister could not get out of the sixth.

Ian Kennedy threw seven strong innings, Eric Hosmer hit a two-run double off Fister during a five-run sixth and the Kansas City Royals beat the Astros 6-2.

Fister (1-1) allowed six runs on nine hits with two strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

HOUSTON (AP) — Doug Fister settled down after a shaky first inning and cruised through the fifth for the Houston Astros on Thursday night.

Following a fielding gaffe, Fister could not get out of the sixth.

Ian Kennedy threw seven strong innings, Eric Hosmer hit a two-run double off Fister during a five-run sixth and the Kansas City Royals beat the Astros 6-2.

Fister (1-1) allowed six runs on nine hits with two strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

"I'm just not getting my job done there," Fister said. "My job is to get the guy out at the plate no matter what happens. I've got to execute and I didn't execute."

He had retired 13 straight before the sixth inning.

"He got hit early and he got hit late," Houston manager A.J. Hinch said. "The innings in between were efficient and effective. ... They got things rolling and they got a couple hits in a row and a couple misplaced cutters. As the outing got into the sixth, he just couldn't stop the damage."

The inning got going for Kansas City after George Springer lost Lorenzo Cain's flyball in the lights.

"It's a pretty helpless feeling but you can't do anything about it," Springer said. "I catch that ball if it's not in the lights."

Houston is 3-7 and in its second three-game losing streak already this season.

Kennedy (2-0) started with five hitless innings and retired 14 straight before Carlos Gomez's leadoff single to center in the sixth. Kennedy struck out seven and allowed a run on two hits and two walks.

Through two starts, the right-hander has allowed one run in 13 2/3 innings.

"He gave us a lot of trouble," Hinch said. "He was pretty bullish with his fastball and then he was landing his breaking ball in the strike zone which created a little bit of an in between approach for us."

Mike Moustakas hit a solo homer in the first and went 2 for 4 with a walk.

Hosmer, Cain, Alex Gordon and Omar Infante each had two hits and the Royals set a season high with 13 hits. The defending World Series champs are 7-2 after winning the final three games of the four-game set with the Astros.

The Royals' offense came alive with two outs in the sixth. Hosmer hit his double, Kendrys Morales and Gordon followed with RBI doubles and then Salvador Perez hit an RBI single to make it 6-0.

Jose Altuve had two hits for Houston, including a solo home run to lead off the seventh. Carlos Correa had an RBI single in the ninth.

After Houston put runners on first and second with one out in the ninth, Wade Davis induced a double play for his fourth save.

WEB GEM

Following Gomez's single in the sixth, Marwin Gonzalez blooped one into shallow center field. Alcides Escobar made a sliding over the shoulder catch, hopped up and fired to first to double Gomez off.

IN THE LIGHTS

The Astros installed new LED lights at Minute Maid Park during the offseason. The new lights have caused some issues for Springer already this season as he lost a ball in the lights during an exhibition in addition to the ball Thursday.

"Oh year, they're tough," Springer said. "It's bright, it's not easy to see the ball. It cost us a game today."

UP NEXT

Astros: LHP Dallas Keuchel (1-1) makes his first home start of the year Friday when Houston starts a three-game series against the Tigers. Keuchel will look to rebound from his last start Sunday, when he allowed three runs in 5 2/3 innings with six walks. He has walked 10 in two starts this season.

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