KANSAS CITY -- For the second time this week, the Royals held a late lead, which in recent years almost assured them a victory.
But those bullpens of yesteryear are but a memory now. The Royals gave up a one-run lead in the ninth inning to start this homestand on Monday in an eventual loss, and the bullpen couldn't hold a one-run lead against the Astros on Sunday afternoon.
Right-hander Brandon Maurer gave up a game-tying home run to Carlos Correa in the eighth inning, and the Astros added two more runs in the inning off Maurer and left-hander Tim Hill for a 7-4 win and a sweep of the three-game set at Kauffman Stadium.