"Sloppy" Play Leads to Another Loss

Game Date: August 25, 2006
Game Score: Blue Jays 6, Royals 3 / Box Score
WP: Marcum (2–3), LP: Hudson (6–5), SV: Ryan (29)
Royal Home Runs: None
Royals Record: 46-84

Shaun Marcum is not having a good season. The last time he started for the Blue Jays, he gave up nine runs in 4.1 innings—a game that the Blue Jays lost to the Orioles 15–0. Marcum’s 5.88 ERA would make him a good fit in our rotation—say around the second or third slot. But you don’t expect to see other teams running guys like him out to the mound. So, what did he do against us? Six innings, one earned run, four strike outs, and his second win of the season.

Luke Hudson, on the other hand, gave up five earned runs, four walks, and ten hits in six innings. And he’s now staring at a rather Marcum-like 5.94 ERA. Hudson faltered early—giving up doubles to Frank Catalanotto and Vernon Wells in the first inning before Troy Glaus drove them both in with a single to centerfield. In the second inning, Aaron Hill singled to lead off the inning and John McDonald tripled to score Hill. A sacrifice fly by Reed Johnson made it 4–0 Blue Jays. And so it went. The Royals didn’t get on the board until the fifth inning, during which they scored on a wild pitch.

We had chances to score. Like when the bases were loaded in the second inning with two outs. But Joey Gathright grounded out. Or like when the bases were loaded in the sixth inning with no outs and John Buck and Angel Berroa both struck out, followed by a fly out by Gathright. What can you do except shake your head? At least we weren’t subject to the standard quotes after the game from Bell and several players about how good Marcum is and that he “just made things difficult because he has such great stuff.”

Instead we got this from Bell: “Just sloppy. Sloppy all night. We had opportunities. We just can’t seem to get that big double or home run to get back in a game.”

We also can’t seem to pitch, field, or run the bases properly.

The game this afternoon in Toronto is a train wreck in waiting. Runelvys Hernandez (3–8, 7.50) goes against Roy Halladay (16–3, 3.18). Hernandez is 1–3 in his career against the Blue Jays with a 4.85 ERA. Halladay is 7–2 against the Royals with a 3.24 ERA.