Game Date: April 14, 2007
Orioles 6, Royals 4 / Box Score
WP: Williamson (1-0) LP: Peralta (0-1) SV: Ray (3)
Royal Home Runs: None
Royals Record: 3-9
Already feels like mid-June in one of our previous 100-loss seasons, doesn't it?
Balls dropping in between players. The bullpen giving up leads. And another heart-wrenching come from behind victory by the opposing team. The things is, this year's team is better than the last several years. Our starting pitching, even when it isn't lights out, is getting the ball into the hands of the bullpen with leads or with deficits that aren't out of reach. We're hitting cut off guys in the field, and with a couple of exceptions, our defense hasn't been bad.
But loses tend to breed more loses and that's what seems to be happening right now.
Odalis Perez battled tonight. I don't think he fits into the long term plans in Kansas City, especially when Scott Elarton and Luke Hudson come back. But he left the game with two guys on base in the sixth inning with a 4-2 lead.
In came Joel Peralta, who got Kevin Millar to hit a pop fly that dropped in between Tony Pena, Reggie Sanders (who was playing left field), and David DeJesus. DeJesus should have taken charge of the play by calling everybody else off, but he let Pena take charge and Pena had his back to the plate. He had little chance of making the catch--even if he was calling for it.
That loaded the bases for Chris Gomez, who Peralta fell behind 3-1 before Gomez smashed a line drive grand slam home run over the left field wall. The Royals tried to mount a come back in the 7th inning when DeJesus singled to start the inning, followed by Grudzielanek reaching base after being hit by a pitch. But Mark Teahen struck out, which obviously didn't advance the runners. And then Sanders did the same thing. Just for good measure, Mike Sweeney pinch hit for Ross Gload and he struck out as well.
The Royals went in order the final two innings.
The Royals have lost three games in a row to a team that really is probably only slightly better than them. The Orioles haven't finished over .500 since 1997. They're hitting .248 as a team and they don't really have any starters that strike fear in you. But they're still finding a way to beat us.
Let's hope that tomorrow is different.
Zack Greinke (1-1, 1.38) goes against Jeremy Guthrie (0-0, 3.18). Greinke is 0-2 with a 11.88 ERA in his career against the Orioles. Guthrie is 0-0 with a 6.10 ERA against the Royals.
1 comment:
Perez pitched a fine game and left with a lead that should have stood.
How does relief come in and manage to give up a grand slam?!
I am sooo frustrated with the relievers. Someone step up...NOW!
Okay...it looked like signals were crossed between Pena and Dejesus. The D man could have fielded it better. Not sure if he called Pena off...or he WAITED too late calling Pena off.
BUT...Had Pena made an accurate throw to third...A throw he could have taken time to set up and throw...Well...there should have been an out somewhere.
The Royals should be up 2 to 1 in this series.
Finally...Bell needs to be more aggressive on the base paths. Steal-A-Base already.
Granted...it was muddy last night.
But i don't have any stats in front of me...but I bet KC is last in stolen bases...or close to it.
With out a proven threat with over-the-wall poundage...small-ball is the way to go. A base here and a base there could have picked us up an extra run.
Let's when the next one and get out of there.
Props to your blog!
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