Royals' Burt hits grand slam on perfect day

D.J. Burt has been on a mission to keep the ball out of the air this season. On Wednesday afternoon, things didn't go as planned.

Burt belted a game-tying grand slam to cap a 4-for-4 performance at the plate as Class A Lexington fell to Asheville, 8-6. It was the first homer for the Royals prospect and leadoff man since late June and his fourth on the year.

"It felt really good," Burt said. "I've been working really hard this season, so it's definitely paying off at the end."

Burt, who finished last season with a 54-game on-base streak, clubbed his first homer in more than a month in the seventh inning off Tourists reliever Sam Thoele to tie the game at 6-6. He singled in the first, third and fifth innings as well, marking his second four-hit game of the season and the fourth of his career.

The grand slam, though, will be a memory from his season -- the 20-year-old hit only one long ball last year in 65 games.

"That at-bat, I was battling through, I had a couple pitches fouled off to get to the pitch I wanted," he said. "I made sure I was ready for the fastball."

Burt, the Royals' fourth-round pick in the 2014 Draft, raised his average to .250 with the effort.

"I feel great," the North Carolina native said. "I'm comfortable now in the second half, everything is going the way I wanted to. I want to come out every day and just compete with the pitchers I'm going to face."

Burt started the season in contrast to how he ended 2015, finishing April hitting .241 before slumping his way through May with a .189 mark. Things turned around in June when the second baseman hit .350 in 22 games.

Last year, Burt led the Pioneer League with 10 sacrifice hits, ranked third in the league in runs scored (56) and walks (40) and tied for eighth in triples. He was 20-of-27 in stolen base attempts and reached base in 59 of his 62 starts for Rookie-level Idaho Falls, ending the year at .290.

The 54-game on-base streak carried over into this season, finally coming to an end April 16 at 68 games. Burt said he's been focused on his playing his game -- hitting ground ball singles, getting on base and being a pesky leadoff hitter.

"Just keeping the ball out of the air -- that's not my game," he said of his focus for this season. "Going the other way. I've been working on bunting, just any way to get on."

Asheville's Brian Mundell homered and plated two runs before Sam Hilliard hit a go-ahead two-run triple in the ninth to lift the Tourists (57-57) to the win. Cristian Quintin (3-5) picked up the victory with a hitless eighth inning after starter Peter Lambert held the Legends to a pair of runs on five hits and a walk over six frames.

Lexington starter Emilio Ogando was charged with five runs -- four earned -- on seven hits and a walk over five innings.