Game 17

Game Date: April 18, 2008
A's 13, Royals 2 / Box Score
WP: Gaudin (1-1), LP: Bannister (3-1)
Royal Home Runs: None
Royals Record: 9-8

We all knew it would happen eventually. Brian Bannister wasn't sharp and he paid the price. It didn't help that the Royals played a horrendous game defensively, although officially, they didn't commit an error. There's not much to analyze with this one though.

Emil Brown drew first blood with an RBI single in the first. He ended up 3-for-5 with 3 RBI. He also had a throw from left field in which he missed every cutoff man imaginable, but that's Emil Brown. You've gotta take the bad with the good.

Mike Sweeney didn't play in this one, but I was sure hoping he would. As In Dayton We Trust has already pointed out, Sweeney was interviewed by Ryan Levebvre and said some of the most graceful things you'll ever want to hear about the Royals, but that doesn't surprise me. Sweeney has always been a class act.

Yasuhiko Yabuta and Hideo Nomo were both hit extremely hard again. Yabuta gave up five earned runs in just 0.2 IP (his four BB didn't help) and Nomo gave up three earned runs in just 0.1 IP. Again, the Nomo experiment must be getting close to an end. And hopefully Yabuta will turn things around.

The Royals will look to even the series this evening. Zack Greinke (3-0, 0.75) will go against Greg Smith (1-0, 2.08). Greinke is 1-0 in his career against the A's with a 2.66 ERA in 23.2 IP. Smith has never faced the Royals.