"Typically, it's not something I do, especially taking two sluggers right out," Hillman said Wednesday. "If I was a gambling man and had been in Vegas, I would have bet a lot of money that (second baseman Alberto) Callaspo was going to get a base hit or plate at least one of those runs. I felt that was the turning point in the game, especially with how we had to battle back (from four runs down).

"I felt the necessity to get more speed. I didn't have any fear on how those guys would play out in the middle of our lineup because it gives you a little more versatility than waiting for a boom or a double. It's a little uncharacteristic about what I would usually do in that situation. I really didn't second-guess on my decision. Typically, you won't see me doing that, taking two of them out."

The moves did not pay off. Callaspo ended up flying out to shallow left, and Carlos Quentin threw out Maier at the plate. John Buck struck out to the end inning.

"We were going for it," Hillman said. "I felt we had to go for it right there. We had battled back so much and left some runners on. It was a gamble. I'll be the first one to tell you that, but I really felt like I've got to do it right here. Unfortunately that inning, it didn't work out. "

ROYALS 9, MARINERS 1: Sidney Ponson pitched out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fifth without allowing a run, retiring Ichiro Suzuki and Endy Chavez on comebackers to end the inning. Ponson picked up his first victory in his sixth start, holding the Mariners to one run and eight hits in 7 1/3 innings. He lowered his ERA from 7.16 to 5.91. Mark Teahen had three hits, including his fourth home run, and drove in three runs. Mike Jacobs also contributed three hits and three RBIs.