Sweeney Being Sweeney

Game Date: August 9, 2006
Game Score: Royals 5, Red Sox 4 / Box Score
WP: Dohmann (1-1), LP: Papelbon (3-2)
Royal Home Runs: None
Royals Record: 40-73

You’ve seen him in this same situation a dozen times or more over the years and nearly every time, he produces the game winning hit. But he’s older now. He’s been out of action for three months and there’s no telling how much longer his back will hold up. The Royals aren’t playing for anything. Their season has been over since late April. And then he does it again.

A solid two-out single to left field in the bottom of the ninth that produces the first walk-off win for the Royals this season, and it all comes rushing back. The thrill of watching a professional hitter do the very thing he was born to do—even though he hasn’t done it in a long time. You see his teammates rush to gather around him in celebratory high fives and hugs. You see the Royal faithful refusing to go home because they simply want to enjoy the moment. And you hear the joy in his voice during the post game interview and you know it’s genuine. And you are happy to be a Royals fan.

Mike Sweeney will be the first to tell you that he didn’t win the game all by himself last night. If Mark Teahen doesn’t hit a two-run double in fourth inning (and then come around to score on a passed ball) and if Esteban German doesn’t lead off the ninth inning with a triple, and then score on a sacrifice fly by David DeJesus (which was a great at bat by the way), and if Mark Grudzielanek doesn’t plug the gap with two outs to set the stage for Sweeney, then we would be talking about yet another Royals loss. Instead, we’re talking about a come-from-behind win against one of the best closers in the game—Jonathan Papelbon—who hasn’t allowed more than one run in a game all season.

Mark Redman didn’t have a great night on the mound, but Todd Wellemeyer picked him up and pitched three scoreless innings of relief. And Scott Dohmann had his first solid outing as a Royal—hitting 97 on the radar gun several times, while also displaying a nasty slider that he’s able to throw just off the outside corner of the plate.

All in all, it was a great game, and the Royals have finally reached win number 40.

Tonight, the Royals send Runelvys Hernandez (2-7, 8.54) against Curt Schilling (14-4, 3.78). Hernandez is 0-0 in his career against the Red Sox with a 4.50 ERA. Schilling is 3-1 with a 3.30 ERA against the Royals.