Royals Outpitched Again

Game Date: July 18, 2006
Game Score: Red Sox 1, Royals 0 / Box Score
WP: Lester (5-0), LP: Duckworth (1-3), SV: Papelbon (28)
Royal Home Runs: None
Royals Record: 32-61

I love seeing old fashioned pitching duels—even if we end up on the losing end. Brandon Duckworth was outstanding through six innings. He gave up just one earned run on five hits. The run came in the fifth inning when Jason Varitek doubled with one out and Alex Gonzalez singled him in with two outs. Duckworth had his cutter working and he changed speeds well. And he lowered his ERA 4.78 which is a little more respectable.

Unfortunately, John Lester was better than Duckworth. He gave up just one hit in eight innings and the Royals never threatened against him. Thankfully, Mark Teahen had a solid single to center in the second inning or we might be talking about a no hitter tonight. Between the Tigers and the Red Sox, we’re running into all sorts of could young starting pitchers. That’s a good thing for baseball, which has been overloaded with power hitters for the better part of a decade, but a bad thing for the Royals.

The Royals are now 1-5 on this road trip, but with the exception of the 6-0 loss on Saturday, they’ve been in all the rest of the games against teams who are simply better than we are. Let’s hope that we can figure out a way to win a few of these types of games as the season progresses.

Before the game, the Royals placed Scott Elarton on the 15-day DL with a strained right shoulder. Joe Nelson replaced Elarton on the roster, and we’ll probably have to make another move when Elarton’s spot comes around again.

Tomorrow afternoon, the Royals send Mark Redman (6-4, 5.38) against Josh Beckett (11-5, 5.12). Redman is 1-7 with a 9.29 ERA in his career against the Red Sox. Beckett has never pitched against the Royals before.