Meche Ends the Losing Streak

Game Date: September 12, 2007
Royals 6, Twins 3 / Box Score
WP: Meche (8-12), LP: Silva (11-14)
Royal Home Runs: Teahen (7), DeJesus (7)
Royals Record: 63-82

Fittingly, Gil Meche gave the Royals win number 63 this season, moving them past the total number of wins during their disastrous 2006 season. He was brought in to win, and to lead, and to eat innings, and to stop losing streaks. While Brian Bannister has stolen the show in most of those departments, Meche came up big this afternoon. He pitched into the seventh inning, giving up just two earned runs on five hits and he left the game with many of the 10,102 fans in attendance cheering his performance.

The Royals got things going in the first inning. With one out, Mark Grudzielanek singled to left. Mark Teahen doubled to left center. And Billy Butler singled in Grud. Ross Gload hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Teahen and the Royals were up 2-0. They scored another run in the second inning and another in the fourth when Teahen homered to right field.

Four runs of support in just four innings must have looked like a dozen to Gil Meche, who has been getting next to no run support in recent outings. After Meche started to falter in the seventh, David Riske came in and finished out the inning without allowing any more damage. Joakim Soria gave up a run in the ninth, but it was harmless.

The Royals have an off day tomorrow and they'll open a new series in Cleveland on Friday night. Brian Bannister (12-8, 3.46) is set to go against C.C. Sabathia (17-7, 3.15). Bannister is 1-0 against the Indians in his career with a 0.00 ERA (in seven innings of work). Sabathia is 12-8 against the Royals with a 3.29 ERA.