Alex Gordon‘s first career grand slam to dead center field in the rain gave the KC Royals the 8-3 win over Detroit in ten innings. The Royals scored five runs in the 10th inning after only scoring three single runs to that point.

It was a battle of the two team’s aces, with James Shields matching up against Justin Verlander. Neither was on top of their game. Verlander left after seven innings due to cracked skin on his thumb (that got alot of talk going on Twitter). Prior to exiting, he scattered eight hits while allowing two runs (one earned). Shields was wild, as he walked three and threw three wild pitches.

In the 4th inning after the Royals had taken a 2-1 lead (on a Salvador Perez sac fly), Shields walked Prince Fielder to lead off the inning and then threw two wild pitches to put him on third base. With one out, Jhonny Peralta tied the game with a sac fly.

In the fifth, Omar Infante singled with one out and was wild pitched to second base. After a walk to Austin Jackson, Torii Hunter singled to give the Tigers the 3-2 lead. Shields was helped out by two double plays.

But what the game really came down to was the bullpens and the Royals shined on Thursday afternoon.

Bruce Rondon, who was supposed to start the season as the Tigers closer but did not, made his Major League debut in the 8th inning. Billy Butler singled to lead off the inning (he went 3-for-3), but was pinch-run for by Jarrod Dyson. He stole second base and moved to third base on Eric Hosmer‘s ground out. Lorenzo Cain delivered the tying run with a sac fly.

Rondon went back out to start the ninth and allowed a lead off single to Perez. He was replaced by Phil Coke and Perez was replaced by Elliot Johnson. After a Chris Getz sac bunt, Coke worked out of trouble.

Lefty Tim Collins replaced Shields, who had settled down late in the game (he retired the Tigers in order over his final three innings). Collins had every count go full, but had a 1-2-3 inning. That sent the game into extra innings.

» Continue reading “Gordon’s First Slam Gives Royals the Win”

Despite not the best playing conditions, the KC Royals and Detroit Tigers played on Wednesday night at Comerica Park. The Royals lost 7-5.

The Royals jumped out to a 4-1 lead after putting up a four-spot in the top of the third. Five straight hits (four singles and a double) and a sac fly gave them their runs. However, Lorenzo Cain grounded into an inning ending double play to end the inning.

The Tigers came right back with two runs in the bottom of the inning on a Victor Martinez RBI double and a Jhonny Peralta RBI single. It could have been worse if not for Jeff Francoeur‘s arm. He threw VMart out at the plate to end the inning.

Then the flood gates opened in the fourth.

With one out and runners at first and second base, Mike Moustakas committed a fielding error that allowed the tying run to score. A Torii Hunter sac fly gave the Tigers the lead. After a walk, VMart singled in another run to end Wade Davis‘ night.

That brought in Luis Mendoza, who had not pitched since two Friday’s ago. After a wild pitch and a walk, he walked in another run.

Mendoza escaped another jam in the fifth, when Omar Infante tripled to lead off the inning. Somehow, Mendoza skated through the heart of the Tigers order. From then on, the Royals bullpen pitched well (4.1 scoreless innings of relief).

But the Royals offense only collected one hit off the Tigers bullpen trio of Al Aburquerque, Joaquin Benoit, and their returning closer Jose Valverde. Valverde threw 18 pitches in his first game of the season, but did not have a base runner.

On offense for the Royals, Alcides Escobar and Salvador Perez each collected two hits. Eric Hosmer went 1-for-1 with two walks and his second double of the season (which drove in a run).

The two teams finish the series on Thursday afternoon as aces James Shields and Justin Verlander match up.

*Walks came back to bite the Royals all night long. Two them came around to score, as Royals pitchers issued eight of them. Four were issued by Davis, whose line looked like this: 3.2IP, 8H, 7R, 3ER, 4BB, 2K. That Moose error proved large.

The KC Royals opener in Detroit was rained out on Tuesday night. A makeup date has not been announced. Wade Davis will slide back a day to start on Wednesday against Max Scherzer (tonight’s original matchup).

Luis Mendoza, who was supposed to start on Wednesday, is now available once again out of the bullpen. He has not pitched since two Friday’s ago. James Shields will start Thursday’s finale, an afternoon game against Justin Verlander.

With yesterday’s off day and today’s rain out, to go along with last week’s two off days and the manhunt for the Boston Marathon bomber on Friday, the Royals have played just six games over the last 13 days. That makes it hard for the hitters to get into any kind of a groove (maybe that’s what is wrong with guys like Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer, and Salvador Perez).

That also means some pitchers are not getting enough work, like the now three long men in the bullpen.

Hopefully the Royals can get into some kind of groove in Detroit, though it will not be easy against Scherzer and Verlander. Plus the weather forecast for tomorrow night isn’t too good.

Just like the divisional series, the championship series in Major League Baseball have former KC Royals playing integral parts for their new teams. One finished in a short four-game sweep. The other in an exciting seven games.

Raul Ibanez struck again in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series. Down 4-2 with two outs in the bottom of the 9^th inning against Detroit Tigers closer Jose Valverde, Ibanez took the second splitter of the at-bat into the right field seats to tie the game up at 4-4 and send the half-empty home crowd into a frenzy. That died off quickly as the Tigers came back and won in the 12^th inning after captain Derek Jeter was lost for the rest of the postseason with a fractured ankle.

In Game 2, Ibanez went 1-for-2 with two walks in the Yankees 3-0 loss. They collected just three hits off Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez (he had one of them).

Ibanez couldn’t be the hero every night and couldn’t awake the sleeping Yankees offense. In Game 3 (the first game in Detroit), he came up with two men on base, two out, and the Yankees down 2-1. Ibanez was facing lefty Phil Coke and worked the count full. However, Coke threw a nasty offspeed pitch and struck him out to end the game. He went 0-for-4 in Game 3. Ibanez went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts in Game 4 and was pinch-hit for by Alex Rodriguez, who of course did nothing.

» Continue reading “Former Royals Help New Teams to World Series”

All four Division Series played win-or-go home Game 5’s, so every series was interesting and down to the wire.

The first team to punch their ticket to the Championship Series was the SF Giants. All four former KC Royals played integral parts to their advancement.

Lefty reliever Jeremy Affeldt pitched in just about every game. In Game 1, he walked one in 2/3 of an inning (12 pitches, five for strikes). In Game 3, he allowed one hit over two scoreless innings of relief (22 pitches, 14 for strikes). In the Game 5 clincher, he pitched another scoreless inning (the seventh). He was pulled after that one inning after a scary incident in the dugout on a foul line drive (he should be okay for the National League Championship Series).

Left fielder Gregor Blanco started every game for the Giants. In Game 1, he went 2-for-3. In Game 2’s blowout loss, he went 0-for-2, but the Giants only collected two hits. He went 0-for-1 with a run scored in Game 3. He showed off his surprise power in Game 4 with a two-run homerun in the 2^nd inning that gave the Giants the lead they would not relinquish. In the Game 5 clincher, he went 1-for-4 with a run scored in their six-run 5^th inning.

Shortstop Joaquin Arias didn’t start, but made an impact off the bench. He pinch-hit in Game 1 and picked up a single and scored a run in the bottom of the 9^th inning of the Giants 5-2 loss. He hit the eventual game-winning ground ball in the 10^th inning of Game 3’s 2-1 victory. Arias went 2-for-3 off the bench in Game 4 with two doubles and two runs scored.

Lefty reliever Jose Mijares had the worst series. In Game 2, he allowed three runs on two hits and a walk, but did not record an out. He rebounded in Game 4 and struck out the only batter he faced (Joey Votto) on five pitches in the 4^th inning.

One former Royal saw his season come to an end with the Cincinnati Reds. That was former closer and Reds setup man Jonathan Broxton. Broxton took the loss in Game 3 when a Ryan Hanigan passed ball moved base runners up in the top of the 10^th inning and Scott Rolen’s error scored the winning run. He pitched in three of the five games and allowed that unearned run on four hits over three innings. Broxton walked one while striking out four.

» Continue reading “Former Royals Help New Teams to Championship Series”

The KC Royals couldn’t end their season with a win, as they lost to the visiting Detroit Tigers, 1-0. The Tigers continue their season on Saturday in Detroit against the American League West winning Oakland A’s.

I know this is a Royals site, but it was all about Miguel Cabrera tonight.

They did get to watch a little history though. Third baseman Miguel Cabrera was officially crowned the Triple Crown winner in the AL. He finished first in batting average (.330), homeruns (44), and RBIs (139). He didn’t need to play on Wednesday night, as he already held a sizable lead in all three categories but homeruns (and Josh Hamilton did not hit a homer in his day game). However it was nice for the over 30,000 fans in attendance to get to see him play. Cabrera picked up two at-bats and was replaced in the field in the bottom of the 4th inning.

Now onto the game.

The game’s lone run was scored with one out in the 5th inning on Austin Jackson‘s RBI double.

Other than that inning, Royals starter Luis Mendoza pitched very well. He escaped a few jams by inducing double play ground outs. He allowed six hits and three walks over seven innings. He struck out six.

On the Tigers side, it was back-and-forth of who was going to make the start. It ended up being Max Scherzer in his final tuneup before the playoffs. He had turned his ankle during Monday night’s celebration and was dealing with some arm issues. Scherzer was solid, as he allowed just three hits and two walks over four shutout innings. He only struck out three, but threw 53 of his 75 pitches for strikes.

On offense for the Royals, it was their double play combination that picked up the hits. Shortstop Alcides Escobar went 2-for-5 and second baseman Johnny Giavotella went 2-for-4.

For the Tigers, AJax and Omar Infante each collected two hits in the win.

*For more on the Tigers, check out Motown Lowdown.

One day after the Detroit Tigers clinched the American League Central, the KC Royals ruined their hangover with a 4-2 win on Tuesday night. The Royals have now won one more game than last season (72 and counting?).

Alcides Escobar

It was all about Alcides Escobar in this win.

He hit a homerun (his fifth of the season) in the first inning that gave the Royals a 1-0 lead. In the Royals’ two-run 5th inning, he singled to tie the game at 2-2.

Escobar also made some great plays at shortstop (as usual).

That made a winner of Jeremy Guthrie, who only had REAL trouble with one Tigers player: Triple Crown leader Miguel Cabrera. He went 2-for-3 (two of the Tigers’ six hits) and drove in the Tigers’ lone runs in the 3rd inning with the bases loaded.

The back end of the Royals bullpen, Kelvin Herrera and Greg Holland, didn’t have trouble tonight with the Tigers. Herrera struck out two in the 8th inning (all ten of his pitches were strikes) and Holland pitched a 1-2-3 ninth.

*In injury news, Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer will sit out tomorrow’s game with their injuries. Moose re-aggravated his groin on Monday night.

Joakim Soria threw for the first time since having Tommy John surgery this spring. He threw a baseball 25 times at 45 feet at the Royals spring training complex in Surprise.

**For more on the Tigers, check out Motown Lowdown.

The KC Royals had the chance to keep the Detroit Tigers from clinching the American League Central. Instead, Triple Crown leader Miguel Cabrera made sure that the Tigers were victorious. The Tigers won 6-3 and clinched the AL Central.

The Royals received a typical pitching performance by their crafty lefty Bruce Chen. However he was hurt by a David Lough fielding error in the top of the 6th inning which cost him four runs.

The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the 5th inning on a Jhonny Peralta solo homerun. The Tigers blew the game open in the sixth when they scored five runs off Chen.

After getting a strikeout to start the inning, Chen allowed a solo homerun to Cabrera and then a double to Prince Fielder (who went 4-for-5). After getting Delmon Young to fly out, he got Peralta to hit a fly ball to centerfielder David Lough. Instead, Lough couldn’t haul it in and a run scored.

Two batters later with the bases loaded, Gerald Laird cleared the bases with a double. That ended Chen‘s evening.

After cutting the deficit to 6-2, the Royals had their chance to really get back into the game. With runners on the corners and one out, Mike Moustakas struck out. Then, Jeff Francoeur singled to drive in a run. As Salvador Perez hustled to third base, Frenchy tried to take second base. Instead, he was thrown out to end the inning.

After getting Cabrera out in his first at-bat (a ground out on four pitches), the Royals could not shut him down. He singled in the fourth, homered in the sixth (to take over the AL lead), singled in the seventh, and singled in the ninth. That upped his AL-leading batting average to .329 and picked up his 200th hit of the season.

*Lefty reliever Tim Collins has earned the Ben Mondor Award, given to the New England Player of the Year. He will be presented with the award in January of 2013. Collins has set the Royals‘ franchise record for strikeouts with 93.

**First baseman Eric Hosmer remained out of the lineup with a partial tear of his rotator cuff. He was expected to take some swings on Monday and see how he felt. It’s uncertain if he will play in the final two games of the season. I say sit him. He’s more important to the team in the long haul than for these unimportant games.

***Strikeouts keep climbing: the Royals single season record for strikeouts by pitchers keeps growing and with two more games to be played, it will only grow larger. Their strikeout total sits at 1,163.

****For more on the Tigers, check out Motown Lowdown.

Another grounder cost the KC Royals a game. This time it came in walk off fashion, as the Detroit Tigers won 5-4 to complete the four game sweep.

It started with a chopper up the middle by Prince Fielder, who hustled to second base. After lefty Tim Collins intentionally walked Delmon Young, Ramon Santiago laid down a poor bunt (the Royals got the out at third base).

That brought up Jhonny Peralta and the Royals countered with hard-throwing right-hander Kelvin Herrera for the second straight day. He induced an inning-ending double play (which would have sent the game into extra innings). However third baseman Mike Moustakas booted the ball, which loaded the bases.

That brought up Alex Avila, who grounded to first base. Brayan Pena tug first base but couldn’t get the out at the plate. Don Kelly scored the game winning run.

Billy Butler hit his 28th homerun in the top of the 9th inning to tie the game at 4-4.

Despite striking out nine straight Royals (an American League record), Tigers starter Doug Fister did not pick up the win.

The lone hit against Fister through the first seven innings was a Salvador Perez single in the second inning.

The Royals committed FIVE errors in the game, which cost them three runs. Three of those errors were made by Moose.

*In the game, both shortstop Alcides Escobar and first baseman Eric Hosmer were injured. Hosmer strained his right shoulder diving for a Quintin Berry triple. Escobar also banged up his shoulder.

The KC Royals out-hit the host Detroit Tigers, but couldn’t defeat the playoff pushing Tigers. They lost 5-4. As I am writing this, the Cleveland Indians have tied the Chicago White Sox in the 7th inning. If the White Sox lose, the Tigers will have sole possession of first place in the American League Central.

With runners on the corners and one out in the 8th inning, Jhonny Peralta grounded to third base. Mike Moustakas fired to second base to try and turn the double play (something Peralta is known to do). However the wipe out slide by Andy Dirks at second base kept Alcides Escobar from making a throw to first base. Pinch runner Don Kelly scored the go ahead run.

That made a loser of reliever Kelvin Herrera, who regularly hit the upper 90s with his fastball (and a few 100s), but allowed back-to-back singles that led to Peralta‘s ground ball.

Tigers closer Jose Valverde needed 12 pitches to finish off the Royals in the top of the 9th inning.

Royals starter Jeremy Guthrie gave up less hits than last night’s starter Bruce Chen, but wasn’t as impressive. Four of the seven hits he allowed went for extra bases.

Two of those hits were homeruns, which he allowed in the 4th inning. After a one out walk, Alex Avila hit a two-run homerun. Two batters later, Austin Jackson hit a solo shot to tie the game at 4-4.

That came after the Royals had given Guthrie the 4-1 lead in the 3rd and 4th innings. With one out in the third, back-to-back doubles by Irving Falu and David Lough scored the Royals first run. With two outs, Alex Gordon doubled in a run and Billy Butler drove him in with a single. Jeff Francoeur hit a solo homerun to cap the scoring in the fourth.

After giving up the homerun in the 4th inning, Guthrie retired ten of the next 11 batters to end his night.

Gordon didn’t make any friends in Detroit. He went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. But what made Tigers fans dislike him was his catch in the 5th inning. He reached over the left field wall to rob Triple Crown threat and MVP candidate Miguel Cabrera of a homerun. Cabrera went 0-for-4 in the win.

*For more on the Tigers, check out Motown Lowdown.