Jordan Montgomery returns from injured list to lead Diamondbacks to 6-2 victory over Royals

Montgomery (7-5) allowed three hits, walked one and struck out two, throwing 39 of 67 pitches for strikes. The 31-year-old left-handed pitcher, signed to a one-year, $25 million contract by the NL champions in March, had been sidelined since June 27 with right knee inflammation. He won for the first time since June 21 in Philadelphia.

“I felt comfortable there and pain-free, and that was nice to be pain-free,” Montgomery said. “I think it messed up my delivery a little bit, I was pulling on everything and I didn’t want to put pressure on my legs, but I stuck with it and I’m happy to be here now.”

Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said Montgomery was close to his pitch count as he finished a 1-2-3 fifth inning.

“His changeup was in play, and that’s a really important pitch for him,” Lovullo said. “The first round before he got hurt, it was a pitch he was going to throw at the plate. It was really, really effective and he had a lot of confidence in it.”

Montgomery made four swings and misses on 19 changeups and six foul balls.

“It got me through the game,” Montgomery said. “I was a little wild with everything. My four-seam and my changeup really got me through, gave me some swing and miss when I needed it.”

Bryce Jarvis threw two shutout innings and Joe Mantiply, Ryan Thompson and Kevin Ginkel completed the effort as Arizona stopped the Royals’ four-game winning streak. Kansas City had won eight of 10.

Bobby Witt Jr. went 1-for-4 with an RBI double in the first inning, ending his streak of four consecutive three-hit games.

Marte hit a two-run homer off the right-field foul pole in the fifth against Alec Marsh (7-7), who allowed five runs, five hits and two walks in five innings. Marte followed Geraldo Perdomo’s leadoff double with his 21st home run.

“I tried to make a change-up and he just jumped over it,” Marsh said.

A sacrifice fly by Christian Walker and a single by Gabriel Moreno with two outs and two runs gave the team a 3-0 lead in the first inning.

Witt’s double was his 13th hit in 16 at-bats since the All-Star Game, his sixth for extra bases. Salvador Perez had an RBI single in the ninth.

Arizona sent right-hander Humberto Castellanos to Triple-A Reno and activated Montgomery.

Kansas City has signed sixth draft pick Jac Caglianone, a two-way player from the University of Florida, to a minor league contract.

Arizona RHP Ryne Nelson (7-6, 4.78) begins the final game of the series against Kansas City RHP Michael Wacha (7-6, 3.55) on Wednesday night.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb