On a sun-baked afternoon, the bleachers at Maryvale Baseball Park were stocked with green T-shirts and foamy green beers in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.
On the mound, Royals starter Nathan Karns nearly offered his own version of an early Irish Goodbye. In his latest audition for the club’s No. 5 starter role, Karns was knocked around for four runs — three earned — in the first inning before salvaging his day with three scoreless frames. By the end, Karns had held the fort for four innings in a 8-5 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. He allowed seven hits while striking out four and issuing two walks.