Whit Merrifield, Maikel Franco and Jorge Soler homered, and the Kansas City Royals stopped a six-game slide by pounding the Chicago Cubs 13-2 on Thursday night.

Soler and Salvador Perez each had three hits and two RBIs, helping Brad Keller to the win in his first major league appearance in nearly a year.

Keller (1-0), who opened the season on the injured list after testing positive for the coronavirus, struck out seven in five scoreless innings.

Kansas City finished with a season-high 18 hits. The Royals scored a total of 14 runs during their losing streak.

Chicago had won six in a row. Tyler Chatwood (2-1) allowed eight runs and 11 hits in 2 1/3 innings after winning each of his two starts this year in impressive fashion.

Kansas City grabbed control with nine runs over the first three innings.

Ryan O’Hearn singled in Soler in the first, and Merrifield connected for a two-run shot in the second. Franco added a two-run shot in Kansas City’s six-run third, and Nick Heath doubled home Nicky Lopez for his first career hit.

Soler made it 12-0 with a solo drive in seventh against his former team.

UP NEXT
Jakob Junis is scheduled to get the start for the Royals Friday night against Minnesota. Pregame begins at 6:30, with the first pitch at 7:05. You can hear the broadcast from the Royals’ Radio Network on KMMO FM 102.9.