Royals win the game, then lose the manager

Associated Press

KANSAS City, Mo.

Zack Greinke’s first win of the season came too late to save manager Trey Hillman’s job.

The Kansas City Royals fired Hillman Thursday, announcing the move right after the AL Cy Young winner won for the first time in eight starts, 6-4 over the Cleveland Indians.

“There is never a right time for something like this to happen,” Greinke said. “No matter what it’s going to be awkward and it is going to feel like it’s the wrong time.”

Alberto Callaspo hit a three-run homer and the Royals roughed up David Huff (1-5) and gave Greinke (1-4) his most run support of the season to end Kansas City’s seven-game losing streak. The hard-luck right-hander made the most of it, winning for the first time since September by allowing up three runs in six innings.

The 47-year-old Hillman was in his third season with Kansas City and went 152-207. Former Brewers manager Ned Yost, who had joined the Royals’ front office in January, took over the 12-23 team.

Greinke will have little time to get acquainted with his new manager, who immediately stepped into the job.

Robinson Tejeda allowed a run in the eighth inning on Asdrubal Cabrera’s third hit, a run-scoring single, but Joakim Soria closed out the ninth for his eighth save in 10 chances.

Cleveland stranded 11 runners.

“Early in the game we could have done more damage, but we couldn’t put the ball in play in that first inning. That’s the type of guy [Greinke] is,” Indians manager Manny Acta said. “After that we really fought and scratched and got those three runs.”