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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 5:34 p.m., Friday, September 5, 2008

Iolani alum Kaaihue makes first major league start for Royals

Advertiser Staff

Honolulu native Kila Ka'aihue of the Kansas City Royals got his first Major League start at first base today, getting his first hit, a single, and scoring his first run in a three-run seventh inning against Cleveland.

The Indians beat the host Royals, 9-3. Ka'aihue finished 1 for 4.

In the seventh, Ross Gload doubled off reliever Tom Mastny, and after an out, Ka'aihue's pop fly into shallow right field dropped between Asdrubal Cabrera and Franklin Gutierrez for a single.

Ka'aihue, a 24-year-old 'Iolani alum, was called up by the Royals Monday after a breakthrough season in which he had 37 homers and 100 RBIs while batting .314 in 124 games at Class AAA Omaha and Class AA Northwest Arkansas.

Ka'aihue was a 15th-round draft choice in 2002.