Despite the fact that the KC Royals came back to tie the Seattle Mariners in the 8th inning, the bullpen gave it right back, as the M’s won 7-6. The Royals were swept in the four-game series.

Will Smith kept the game close, as he started opposite M’s ace Felix Hernandez. He ended up allowing three runs on seven hits over six innings. He struck out four and did not walk a batter. King Felix survived taking a line drive off his hand to pitch seven innings. He allowed two runs on five hits and two walks.

The Royals bullpen gave up two runs in the 7th inning on a Kyle Seager two out, two-run single.

Then the Royals offense came back against three Mariners relievers. Billy Butler drove in the first run with a one out single. Eric Hosmer tied the game with a two out, two-run single. They had the chance to take the lead, as Hosmer advanced to third base on a throwing error, but Yuniesky Betancourt struck out to end the inning.

But the Royals bullpen gave it right back in the bottom of the 8th inning. Lefty Jose Mijares entered and immediately gave up a double to Mike Carp. Carp would score on Trayvon Robinson‘s sac bunt, that Mijares fielded and threw away. Greg Holland then entered, and with one out, allowed an RBI single to Casper Wells to end the M’s scoring.

Even though the Mariners were bad with runners in scoring position, the Royals were worse. They went just 3-for-13 and struck out ten times.

*Mike Moustakas sat out on Sunday and the Royals will see how he feels after the off-day on Monday.

*For more on the Mariners, check out Needle Ball.

A day after Jonathan Sanchez could not get out of the 2nd inning, his trade mate from the SF Giants (and fellow left-hander), Ryan Verdugo, lasted just 1.2 innings. The KC Royals yet again lost to the Seattle Mariners, 9-6.

Ryan Verdugo via Minda Haas/Royal Blues

It wasn’t a great Major League debut for Verdugo, was was acquired by the Royals from the Giants for outfielder Melky Cabrera this offseason. I can’t say I was surprised by the performance. After his first callup (in which he did not pitch), Verdugo was moved to the bullpen in Triple-A (except for one start on July 5th). He pitched an inning of relief just two days ago (July 14th) for Omaha.

Anyway, back to his debut.

It started out so well. He recorded the first two outs before allowing a single to Casper Wells. Jesus Montero followed with an RBI double and Justin Smoak followed with a two-run homerun. Verdugo then walked Kyle Seager and gave up a single to Miguel Olivo before escaping the first inning.

Verdugo picked up his first big league strikeout by getting Brendan Ryan on five pitches leading off the 2nd inning. Dustin Ackley and Ichiro followed with back-to-back singles. After striking out Wells, Montero delivered an RBI single. After a coaching visit, Smoak walked to load the bases before Seager drove in two with a double. That ended Verdugo’s debut.

Verdugo threw 55 pitches, 31 for strikes. His final line looks like this: 1.2IP, 8H, 6R, 2BB, 2K.

» Continue reading “Another Day, Another Royals Start of Less Than 2 Innings”

Once again, KC Royals starter Jonathan Sanchez did not reach the 6th inning. Well, he didn’t make it out of the 2nd inning tonight, as he and the Royals lost to the visiting Seattle Mariners, 9-4.

Three batters into the game, the Mariners led 3-0 on a Casper Wells three-run homerun. Two batters after that, the Mariners led 5-0 with nobody out on Justin Smoak‘s two-run homerun.

It was 7-0 Mariners when Sanchez was FINALLY taken out in the second inning with a runner on third base and just one out. Wells chased Sanchez from the game with a two-run triple.

The Royals and Mariners both collected the same amount of hits (11). Problem is, the Royals were just 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position and hit into two double plays (both by Alcides Escobar). They made two errors and Yuniesky Betancourt was thrown out at third base to end the 4th inning on a Alex Gordon fly out to left.

The 3rd inning capitalized all of their offense’s problems. After Salvador Perez homered to lead off the inning, Gordon walked. Then came one of Escobar‘s DP’s. Eric Hosmer then followed with a walk and Billy Butler drove him in with a homerun. Lorenzo Cain and Mike Moustakas put together back-to-back singles, but Jeff Francoeur flied out to end the inning.

The Royals scored three runs in that inning to cut the deficit to 7-3, but they could have gotten back into the game with some clutch hitting.

» Continue reading “Royals Sanchez Bombed Again”

The Royals got to Tigers starter Phil Coke in the second inning with two runs. Wilson Betemit collected an RBI single and Brayan Pena followed with an RBI fielder’s choice.

Coke settled in from there. Coke lasted into the 7^th inning and allowed just those two runs on three hits (though he walked four) while striking out seven (three times by Kila). I have a soft spot for Coke (and a bunch of the Tigers players) because I watched Coke pitch in the minors for a few years.

Robbie Weinhardt, who was just recalled when the Tigers were in Baltimore, followed Coke and was solid until the 9^th inning, when Alex Gordon singled and Billy Butler doubled. Lefty Brad Thomas came into the game to face Kila and didn’t throw strikes (walked him on four pitches which loaded the bases). Jeff Francoeur followed with a sac fly to increase the Royals lead to 3-0. But Thomas induced a double-play grounder from Betemit to end the threat.

Royals starter Bruce Chen was his typical crafty self.

Up until the 6^th inning, the Tigers had just one hit (from right fielder Casper Wells). With two outs, Will Rhymes collected a single. Magglio Ordonez followed with a shot hit into the left field corner. Rhymes was waved home to score, but Royals catcher Brayan Pena did a great job of blocking the plate. Rhymes slid into Pena and was called out. However the home plate umpire was behind Pena (and not on an angle) and in poor positioning to make the call. Replays showed Rhymes sliding into Pena and hitting his chest, but Pena was bobbling the ball.

Chen allowed just those three hits in six shutout innings. He walked just one while striking out seven. Rookie Aaron Crow followed Chen and threw 1.1 innings. He allowed a single in the 8^th before being relieved by rookie lefty Tim Collins. Collins walked pinch-hitter Brennan Boesch, but struck out Austin Jackson. However, he walked Rhymes to load the bases. Manager Ned Yost summoned for Robinson Tejeda to face Maggs. Tejeda threw just one pitch to get Maggs to pop up to second base to end the threat.

Joakim Soria struck out Miggy for the first out of the 9^th. Victor Martinez flied out to left on the first pitch for the second out. Ryan Raburn followed with a solo homerun that was CRUSHED into the left field seats. Jhonny Peralta flied out to end the game.

*Butler attempted just his third stolen base of his career, and was thrown out in the 6^th inning by Martinez.

* 7 scoreless innings from the Royals bullpen until the Raburn homerun off Soria in the Tigers series.

*Tomorrow is the series finale with Luke Hochevar matching up against the Tigers Rick Porcello. Gametime is 1:05 at Comerica Park.