Solid performances all around lead to win

Game Date: August 18, 2009
Kansas City @ Chicago
Kansas City 5, White Sox 4 / Box Score
WP: Meche (6-9), LP: Garcia (0-1), SV: Soria (20)
KC Home Runs: Buck (5)
Royals Record: 47-72 / Record in August 7-10

Over the course of the past several months, I’ve certainly been hard on the bullpen, justifiably so in my opinion, but they certainly deserve some praise for the game last night. Robinson Tejeda had dominant stuff for three innings and he didn’t allow any hits or runs. He picked up Gil Meche who looked flat again. He doesn’t have any command of his fastball right now and he’s paying the price. Let’s hope that consistent work will take care of his command issues.

Billy Butler, fresh off winning the American League Player of the Week Award, had three more doubles and two more RBI. We’ve been waiting for him to come around, and frankly, I was losing hope in him, but he’s knocked the cover off the ball over the last two months and is putting together a career year. He might be laying the groundwork for becoming the fixture in Kansas City that we need him to be. By the way, it looks like Butler might be on Twitter now (@BillyButlerKC). I haven’t seen this confirmed anywhere yet, but it looks legit. I added the account to the Royals Twitter Directory.

Willie Bloomquist quietly had a solid performance. He was on base twice when Billy Butler doubled which led to two runs. And he made what turned out to be a game-saving throw to home plate from right field in the fifth inning to nail Carlos Quentin who tagged up on the play. If he had scored, the game would have been tied 5-5. Instead, Bloomquist threw him out on one bounce and neither team scored after that.

Joakim Soria gave us a scare when he turned an ankle on the second pitch he threw in the ninth inning while trying to nail down the save. After the game he said he twisted his ankle in a hole on the mound left by another pitcher. For a reason I couldn’t understand, some in the crowd booed when Soria took a couple of throws to test his ankle. Not exactly a classy move by the fans.

The Royals play this afternoon at 1:05 pm and it will not be televised by FSKC. I checked WGN and it won’t be on there either. So, the radio it is, which I don’t mind. Zack Greinke (11-7, 2.33) will go up against Jose Contreras (4-11, 5.40). Greinke is 5-9 in his career against the White Sox with a 4.14 ERA. Contreras is 9-4 against the Royals with a 3.51 ERA.

Update on Aug 20 @ 12:11 pm: Just heard from Doug Rogalski, Billy Butler's agent, and he confirms that Butler's Twitter account listed above is legit. Many thanks to Doug for taking the time to do so.