Red Sox Sneak by Royals

Game Date: July 17, 2006
Game Score: Red Sox 5, Royals 4 / Box Score
WP: Timlin (5-0), LP: Peralta (1-2), SV: Papelbon (27)
Royal Home Runs: None
Royals Record: 32-60

The Royals jumped on the board early last night with three runs in the second inning, but after chasing knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, the Red Sox bullpen held steady and kept them in the game just long enough to beat us by a run. The big blow came in the seventh inning with the Royals leading 4-1. Joel Peralta gave up a three run shot to Doug Mirabelli to tie to the game. Peralta is not having anywhere near that year he had with the Dodgers last season where he had a 3.89 ERA and opponents only hit .219 against him. This year, his ERA is nearing 5.00 and opponents are now hitting .272 against him.

Luke Hudson pitched better than most people would have expected, including me. He gave up 3 ER in 6.1 IP. He threw 94 pitches and had 4 K. And I’m sure that he earned himself another start or two. Zack Greinke doesn’t appear to be close to returning and Runelvys Hernandez is sitting in the doghouse in Omaha, so Hudson it is—at least for a while.

Mark Grudzielanek was back in the lineup, but he went 0-for-5 and made a throwing error that snapped his 77-game errorless streak—a new record for Royals’ second basemen. Frank White held the record previously with 70 games. Although, I’m guessing that nobody on the planet would even whisper the idea that Grudzielanek had anywhere near the same range as White.

Allard Baird showed up during the Royals’ BP. That had to be an odd feeling for him.

Brandon Duckworth (1-2, 5.40) goes against Jon Lester (4-0, 2.89) tonight in Boston.