Kennedy firmly in control for KC once again

KANSAS CITY — More often than not, Royals right-hander Ian Kennedy has done his job when called upon. He’s made 12 quality starts this season and has allowed three runs or fewer in 18 of his 25 outings. But after he hit a rough patch in June, and then another toward the end of July, fans grumbled about the contract he signed in the offseason. The team wasn’t winning, and neither was Kennedy. The Royals went 2-9 with him on the mound over June and July.

But since that time, the grumblings have evaporated. Kennedy continued his recent string of dominant outings in a 10-0 win over the Twins on Saturday, pitching eight shutout innings and giving up only four hits.

“That’s five starts in a row where he’s been completely in control. He’s just been throwing the ball extremely well,” manager Ned Yost said. “[He] didn’t have his really good curveball tonight, but when he missed, he missed down with it.”

Kennedy got off to a shaky start, dealing with a pair of baserunners with one out in the second inning, but he worked around it, getting out …

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