Bannister, Royals beat Reds 7-1 for 3-game sweep

Bannister, Royals beat Reds 7-1 for sweep

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Brian Bannister pitched eight sharp innings, Miguel Olivo homered and drove in four runs and the Kansas City Royals took advantage of sloppy fielding to beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-1 Sunday for a three-game sweep.

Reds starter Johnny Cueto (6-4) lowered his NL-leading ERA to 2.17 despite the loss. All five runs against him were unearned after a pair of errors by third baseman Jerry Hairston Jr.

Kansas City outscored the Reds 18-6 in the series.

Bannister (5-3) gave up four hits and the only run he allowed was unearned after a throwing error by shortstop Luis Hernandez in the first inning.

Bannister, who had allowed 19 runs and 23 hits in 13 2-3 innings in his previous three starts, retired 10 in a row and 17 of 18 after Hernandez’s error.

Olivo doubled home a run in the first, had an RBI grounder in the fourth and added a two-run homer in the eighth.

Cueto lasted six innings and didn’t have much luck behind him.

Hairston’s fielding error on Billy Butler’s grounder in the first prolonged the inning, and Olivo’s RBI double made it 1-all.

Hairston’s throwing error in the third on Willie Bloomquist’s grounder led to four more runs.

Right fielder Jay Bruce dropped Alberto Callaspo’s fly ball when his glove struck the right-field bullpen fence. It was ruled a triple, allowing Willie Bloomquist and Olivo to score.

Mark Teahen added an RBI single with two outs, one of his three hits.

NOTES: Reds OF Willy Taveras, who is hitless in his past 32 at-bats, was held out of the lineup. That is the longest drought by a non-Reds pitcher since Denis Menke went 0 for 33 in 1973. … The Royals signed seven draft picks, including 30th-round RHP Josh Worrell of Indiana Wesleyan. His father is former big league closer Todd Worrell.