Game 52: Minnesota @ Kansas City

Game Date: May 27, 2008
Twins 4, Royals 3 / Box Score
WP: Crain (2-2), LP: Nunez (3-1), SV: Guerrier (1)
Royal Home Runs: Teahen (3)
Royals Record: 21-31

The Royals were on the verge of being shut out again last night, when Mark Teahen came to the plate with one out and two runners on base. He sliced a ball down the left field line that was just out of reach of Delmon Young. Young made a sliding attempt at the ball and when it got past him, took a leisurely stroll after it. Teahen had no problem circling the bases for an inside-the-park home run to tie the score. Surely that would be the play that led to the end of the losing streak, right?

Wrong.

The Royals still needed to find another way to score in extra innings and they found that to be just as difficult as they did in the first eight innings. And what finally did in the Royals in the top of the twelfth inning? A one-out walk given up by Leo Nunez that came around to score two singles later.

Who among us isn't already starting to think about the 19-game losing streak in 2005? And who among us thought those days were over with the likes of Gil Meche, Brian Bannister, Billy Butler, Joakim Soria, and Alex Gordon added to roster?

If anybody can put a stop to this mess, Zack Greinke can. Unfortunately, Greinke (5-2, 2.82) will go up against Livan Hernandez (6-2, 4.22) who has already beat the Royals twice this season. Greinke is 2-3 in his career against the Twins with a 3.65 ERA in 49.1 IP. Hernandez is 2-0 against the Royals with a 2.57 ERA in 14.0 IP.