Bad Defense & Pitching Costly

Game Date: July 14, 2006
Game Score: Tigers 10, Royals 9 / Box Score
WP: T. Jones (2), LP: Affeldt (6)
Royal Home Runs: Berroa (6), Teahen (9)
Royals Record: 31-58

This is starting to look to familiar. The Royals jumped out to an early lead again last night, only to see bad pitching and bad defense cost them another game.

The Royals jumped on Kenny Rogers early, scoring four runs in the second inning off of him. The big blow came after Mark Teahen worked the count to 3-1 with two guys on base. Rogers tried to spot a fastball low and away, but he got more of the plate than he probably intended and Teahen turned on it and knocked it way up in the right field seats.

The Royals took a 6-3 lead into the sixth inning, but that’s when Redman faltered and Dessens didn’t fair much better. Angel Berroa didn’t help him. He booted a routine grounder, and in the process, allowed the tying run to score. He attempted to back hand a ball that he didn’t need to back hand, and after he couldn’t field it cleanly, he eventually gained control of the ball, only to have it squirt out of his hands before he could attempt a throw to first base. Seriously, can’t we find a way to dump this guy on somebody else? Or how about just eating his salary and saying adios?

With two guys on in the seventh inning, Bell brought in Ambiorix Burgos, and I cringed. By now, the league has figured this guy out and he really needs to go down to Omaha to either develop another pitch or to learn how to at least get some movement on his fastball. He let both inherited runners score and then one more, to give Detroit a 9-6 lead.

Joel Zumaya started the eighth inning. I was surprised that we got anything going against him because he’s been outstanding so far this season. But Graffanino walked to lead off the inning. After Berroa hit into a fielder’s choice, Mark Teahen walked, and then Buck singled to load the bases. David DeJesus then plugged the gap in left center, clearing the bases, and tying the score 9-9.

In the bottom of the ninth, with one out, Affeldt threw a good curve ball, down and in to Carlos Guillen, but Guillen went down and got it and somehow hit it out of the park for a walk-off home run. The Royals are 0-10 against the Tigers this season and it’s not because their pitching has held us down, but more so because our pitchers can’t find a way to get their hitters out either.

Tonight, Jimmy Gobble (3-2, 4.32) goes against Justin Verlander (10-4, 3.01). Gobble is 3-2 with a 3.86 ERA in his career against the Tigers. Verlander has only pitched against the Royals once, and it was a complete game shutout earlier this season. I don’t like this pitching match up at all. Gobble isn’t pitching well right now. He’s only thrown 9.1 innings in his last three starts and he has a 6.75 ERA over that span of games. Verlander, on the other hand, has thrown 21.0 innings in his last three starts, and he’s 2-0 with a 2.14 ERA.

Berroa Walk Watch (the quest for double digits): 8 walks in 82 games. Berroa made his 10th error of the season last night. Will he end up with more errors than walks this season?