MLB Scores: Brady Singer dazzles as Royals blow out Dodgers to win first series since May 17

Nicky Lopez remembers the halcyon days of the Kansas City Royals in 2014 and 2015, when the small-market club won back-to-back American League pennants and its first World Series title in three decades.

More importantly, Lopez remembers how they did it: good starting pitching, timely hitting and a dominant bullpen.

It's precisely the formula they used to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.

Brady Singer threw seven effective innings, Lopez matched a career high with four RBIs, Maikel Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr. drove in two runs apiece and the Royals beat the Dodgers 9-1 to claim their first series victory since May 17.

“You know, a lot of the times in 2014 and 2015, they won a lot of ballgames 3-1, but they put it all together — timely hitting and a bullpen shut it down, and good starting pitching,” Lopez said. “I just think that's been the identity of the Royals for a while, and sometimes we lose sight of that, but I feel like that has to be it.”

Singer (5-7) played a big part in it from the mound, allowing one run on three hits and four walks over seven innings.

“Hopefully, you know, this gives us a lot of confidence,” Singer said. “We have a lot of confidence.”

The Royals took the lead off Tony Gonsolin (4-3) in the second on a single by Garcia, who also had a career-best four hits, and then knocked the right-hander from the game in the fourth, when they scored three more to pull away.

Gonsolin allowed four runs on six hits in 3.2 innings, and has now allowed 15 runs over his last 14.1 innings.