Royals Win Again

Game Date: July 6, 2006
Game Score: Royals 6, Blue Jays 2 / Box Score
WP: Redman (6), LP: Taubenheim (5)
Royal Home Runs: Teahen (7)
Royals Record: 30-54

How fun is it to watch a team in which the starting pitcher throws strikes for eight innings while his defense plays well behind him? The result for such efforts is usually going to be a W and tonight was no exception. Redman threw 111 pitches, and took a one-hitter into the seventh inning. He ended up giving up two earned runs, but he dropped his ERA to 5.27 and he hasn’t lost since May 19. His ERA was 6.88 after that particular start. He’s put together an incredible run and as crazy as it seems, he’ll ride it all the way to Pittsburgh for the All-Star game.

The Royals struck first tonight. In the first inning, Doug Mientkiewicz doubled in Tony Graffanino. They scored again in the second when Mark Teahen led off the inning with a home run. Emil Brown had a big two-out single that drove in two runs in the third. And the Royals added two more runs in the fourth inning. They wouldn’t need any more runs on this night. Joel Peralta threw a perfect ninth inning and that was the ballgame.

We’ll see if they can keep it going tomorrow night when Luke Hudson (1-3, 7.24) makes his first start of the season. He’ll go against A.J. Burnett (1-2, 4.30). Burnett is 0-0 with a 6.43 ERA in his career against the Royals.

The Royals have now won 12 of their last 17 games and they are in one of those stretches that is hard to explain. Let’s not even try.

Berroa Walk Watch (the quest for double digits): 8 walks in 78 games.