Game 2

Game Date: April 2, 2008
Royals 4, Tigers 0 / Box Score
WP: Bannister (1-0), LP: Rogers (0-1)
Royal Home Runs: None
Royals Record: 2-0

I just went and checked the Yahoo! Fantasy Baseball website to see how many people picked up Brian Bannister after his performance today. The magic number is 8,741...strike that...9,282 (the number grew that quickly since I started writing this post). What caused all the bandwagon jumping?

Bannister shutout the Tigers this afternoon in Detroit for seven innings, giving up just two hits and no walks. Obviously, he didn't overpower anybody, but he doesn't need to. Here's what Detroit manager Jim Leyland said after the game about Bannister:

"If we got shut out by someone who was hanging breaking balls and leaving pitches in the middle of the plate, I'd be concerned. But when a guy locates like he did today, that's the way it goes. You aren't going to wear out good pitching that locates. You've got to take advantage of mistakes, and we didn't do that."

The Royals didn't get on the scoreboard until the sixth inning when Mark Grudzielanek doubled with one out, followed by a Jose Guillen double with two outs for the first run of the game, and a Billy Butler double for the second run. Billy Butler had an RBI later in the game and Mark Teahen drove in the other run.

Joey Gathright started in place of David DeJesus in right field and he made the most of it, going 2-for-4 at the top of the lineup.

Leo Nunez and Joakim Soria shut down the Tigers over the final two innings and the Royals are 2-0 for only the second time in the last 28 years--as the AP was quick to point out.

Tomorrow afternoon, the Royals play the final game of the three game series before moving on to Minnesota. Zack Greinke will go up against Jeremy Bonderman.