CINCINNATI -- It was the type of game Wednesday night that the "old" Kansas City Royals might have lost.

But these days, whether it's via a clutch hit, solid relief pitching or a heads-up defensive play, manager Ned Yost's club finds a way to win.

"It's a steady approach to the game every day," said second baseman Ben Zobrist. "Where you're good as a team is going to come out. This team knows how to win and how to close games out."

Zobrist went 4-for-5 with two doubles and center fielder Lorenzo Cain added a two-run single lifting the first-place Royals to a 4-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in the finale of a two-game interleague series at Great American Ball Park.

Wednesday's game was delayed 1 hour, 37 minutes by rain. It was the 14th rain delay this season at Great American Ball Park.

First baseman Joey Votto and second baseman Brandon Phillips hit back-to-back homers in the first inning for Cincinnati, which lost all four meetings with the Royals this season.

Kansas City (73-46) increased its lead in the American League Central to a season-high 14 1/2 games over the Minnesota Twins.

The Reds (51-67) had the tying and go-ahead runs on base with two outs in the ninth, but Wade Davis fanned Votto for his 10th save.

Royals starter Jeremy Guthrie's pitch count was at 111 through 4 1/3 innings when he exited with a one-run lead. Guthrie allowed three runs and a pair of homers.

Luke Hochevar (1-0) pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings to earn the victory. He was at the forefront of a key play in the game in the fifth inning.

With the bases loaded and one out, the infield fly rule was invoked on right fielder Jay Bruce's popup. However, Hochevar let the ball drop, and center fielder Jason Bourgeois was tagged out attempting to score from third for an inning-ending double play.

"I was confused whether they would send (Bourgeois) back to third or not," said Zobrist. "I wasn't really sure about the rule. It's an unfortunate kind of play. It worked out for us."

Yost said Hochevar didn't intentionally drop the ball. And, Reds skipper Bryan Price defended Bourgeois, saying he just reacted to the ball dropping.

"He knows the rule," Price said. "It was a miscommunication on the infield fly. It was just a reaction."

Reds rookie right-hander Keyvius Sampson, making his fourth career start, took the loss.

Following the rain delay, the Royals jumped on Sampson (2-2).

Kansas City went ahead 1-0 when shortstop Alcides Escobar singled and scored on Zobrist's double down the right field line in the first inning. Replays indicated that Zobrist's hit was a few inches foul, but the play was not reviewed.

"He kept the line moving all night long," said Yost of Zobrist. "He set up run-scoring opportunities. Just on base all night long."

Zobrist later scored on first baseman Eric Hosmer's single to make the score 2-0.

"Keyvius was around the plate, but not on the plate," said Price, of Sampson who allowed four runs and nine hits in 3 1/3 innings. "He got hurt behind in the count."

Cincinnati collected its fifth set of back-to-back homers in the bottom half of the inning.

Votto crushed a 3-2 pitch from Guthrie an estimated 410 feet to center for his 22nd home run, and Phillips followed with his ninth homer to left field, tying the score 2-2.

"(Guthrie) was just wrestling with his command some," said Yost. "The zone was tight, for everyone."

The Royals regained the lead when Zobrist doubled for the second straight at-bat and scored on Cain's two-out, two-run single making the score 4-2.

Kansas City's bullpen pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings on Wednesday, a night after they blanked the Reds for 12 innings in Tuesday's 13-inning win.

"That's what they do, man," Yost said. "They come in and get after it."

NOTES: Reds 2B Brandon Phillips left the game in the sixth with inflammation in his right biceps tendon. ... Cincinnati CF Billy Hamilton was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday with a sprained shoulder capsule he sustained in the 11th inning Tuesday night when he dived to cut off a single by Kansas City's Alcides Escobar and then threw him out at second base. ... The Reds recalled RHP Sam LeCure and OF Brennan Boesch from Triple-A Louisville, optioned RHP Dylan Axelrod to Triple-A and transferred RHP Nate Adcock to the 60-day disabled list. ... Royals 2B Omar Infante missed his second straight game with back spasms but was available to pinch-hit. ... Salvador Perez, who caught all 13 innings for Kansas City on Tuesday night, was out of the lineup Wednesday. Drew Butera replaced him behind the plate.