The KC Royals ruined the return of their former ace, as they beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 2-1.

Zack Greinke’s return to Kauffman Stadium started out on a sour note. Alex Gordon led off the bottom of the first inning with a homerun. From there, Greinke was virtually spotless.

However Luis Mendoza was even better. He looked alot like the pitcher who dominated during spring training. Mendoza did not allow a hit until Ryan Braun singled leading off the 7th inning (it was an infield single).

After two throwing errors on that play, Mendoza then walked Aramis Ramirez. That was all for Mendoza and in came Aaron Crow. Taylor Green flied out to left field and Gordon threw Braun out at the plate, thus bailing out Crow. But Crow coughed up a run when Rickie Weeks singled to tie the game at 1-1.

Mendoza threw just 74 pitches, 46 for strikes. He walked two while striking out four.

With Francisco Rodriguez on the mound to start the 8th inning, Gordon led off with a double. Chris Getz then sacrificed him to third base. Billy Butler then delivered an RBI single to give the Royals the lead.

Royals closer Jonathan Broxton made it interesting in the 9th inning. Ramirez singled to lead off the inning (he was then pinch run for). On a strikeout, Carlos Gomez stole second base and went to third base on a Weeks’ single.

With runners at the corners,  Broxton struck out George Kottaras and got pinch-hitter Brooks Conrad to ground out to end the game.

On offense, Gordon, Butler, and Jeff Francoeur each had two hits.

*Chris Getz returned from the DL, started at second base, and went 1-for-3 batting in the two-hole. Johnny Giavotella was sent back to Triple-A.

**I was a little disappointed that I never received an ESPN text alert that Mendoza had a no-hitter. Apparently Colby Lewis’ with Texas over just five innings was more important.