Game recap: Royals starter James Shields held the D-backs scoreless on one hit through three innings of work, striking out three before the D-backs broke through against reliever Chris Dwyer in the fourth inning. Dwyer gave up four runs on three hits and only got one out before getting the hook. The Royals struck back quickly, though, using a three-run fifth inning to retake the lead. Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas drove in all three runs on a towering home run to right field that nearly cleared the lawn. The Royals scored again on an error by D-backs shortstop Chris Owings in the ninth, building a two-run lead the D-backs could only cut in half with a run in the bottom half of the inning.
Hitting notes: Only A.J. Pollock tallied a hit before the big fourth inning. Aaron Hill led off the fourth with a walk before Paul Goldschmidt and Eric Chavez singled, with Chavez's hit driving in a run. Mark Trumbo followed with a double to score Goldschmidt. Dwyer walked Pollock to load the bases and then walked Didi Gregorius to give the D-backs a run.
Pitching notes: Making his second start of the spring, Patrick Corbin went four innings and threw just over 70 pitches. He allowed two runs on five hits, four strikeouts and two walks.
"I'm getting a stronger arm, it felt great," Corbin said. "I got my pitch count up a bit more than I wanted to throw in four innings. I obviously wanted to get to the fifth, but I felt like I worked on my changeup a lot today, threw it more than I normally do so that was good."
Corbin said his next start -- his last before the March 22 opener in Australia -- will likely be about the same -- four or five innings and 70 or so pitchers -- but will be handled more like a regular season game.
Lefty Joe Paterson took the loss and got hit hard in an inning of work, giving up a double and a single before Moustakas' homer. Marcos Mateo, Eury De la Rosa and Matt Stites all threw scoreless innings before Will Harris allowed a run on two hits in the ninth inning.
Short hops: Wednesday's game was the second potential instant replay game for the D-backs. Gibson spent significant time Wednesday morning studying replay rules and possible reviewable plays from Tuesday's game, but replay wasn't needed against the Royals. ... Daniel Hudson, recovering from a second Tommy John surgery, threw a 15-pitch session on flat ground Wednesday morning. ... Brad Ziegler stopped by camp to throw a bullpen and see teammates before leaving again to be with his wife, who gave birth to their second child, Joshua Bradley, at 1:04 a.m. Wednesday.
End quote: "I think we're on schedule. If anything, we're ahead of schedule. I feel like I'm where I need to be and I'll be ready for my start there." -- Patrick Corbin on preparing for his start in Australia.
Thursday's game: D-backs (5-5) vs. Athletics (5-3), Salt River Fields, 1 p.m.
Probable pitchers: D-backs: Trevor Cahill (1-0, 2.70 ERA), Jake Barrett, J.J. Putz, Ryan Rowland-Smith, Joe Thatcher, Josh Collmenter. Athletics: Sonny Gray (0-0, 0.00), Matt Buschmann, Dan Otero, Sean Doolittle, Jim Johnson.
