Royals vs. White Sox Final Score: Royals Flatline In 12 Inning 4-3 Loss
By Joel Wagler
The Kansas City Royals (64-62) have proven once again they are really unworthy of all the hopes that their fans pinned on them being able to actually compete with pride and excitement over the last few weeks of the season. After dropping a 4-3 extra inning decision to the Chicago White Sox (52-74), Kansas City fell to 7 back in the wild card race with just 35 games to go.
Aug 22, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Luke Hochevar (44) delivers a pitch in the eleventh inning against the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Chicago won 4-3 in 12 innings. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports
On the Mound
Once again, their pitching did their part. James Shields pitched 5 shutout innings to start the game, giving up just 3 hits. He hit a little bit of a snag in the 6th when 2 runs scored off 4 hits. If Ned Yost knew anything about the game of baseball, he would have went to the bullpen for the 7th. Instead, he ran Shields out there for one more inning in which he surrendered 2 more hit and another run. The aforementioned bullpen came into play in the 8th, pitched four scoreless frames before Luke Hochevar made his only mistake over 2 innings. He grooved one to Conor Gillaspie – game over.
If Yost goes to the bullpen in the 7th, there was a good chance the Sox don’t score the 3rd run to tie the game. But, alas, he is Ned Yost.
At the Plate
Hochevar got the loss but the defeat falls squarely on the shoulders of a pathetic offense. The Royals batters only scrounged together 6 hits in the 12 innings, half of which came in the 5th, when Kansas City scored all 3 runs.
In the ninth, Eric Hosmer led off with a single but the inning ended after a Salvador Perez strikeout and Billy “Double Play” Butler grounded into a double play. With 2 outs in the 10th, Emilio Bonifacio singled with two outs, stole second, and was stranded there. In the 11th, Jamey Carroll got on base for just the second time as a Royals (walks both times), Alex Gordon was hit by a pitch, Hosmer flew out to center swinging at the first pitch from a pitcher struggling with his control, then Sal Perez grounded into a double play.
In the 12th, now trailing by one, Billy Butler walked but the next three batters went down without a fight. Game over. Season over.
This and That
Chris Getz and Jamey Carroll went 0-3 on the night with a walk. Veterans!
Royal pitchers struck out 16 White Sox on the night.
Alex Gordon batted lead off (he’s in a slump but at least it wasn’t Getz or Carroll) and went 1-4.
KC Kingdom Player of the Game
NOPE!
July 21, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals pitcher James Shields (33) delivers a pitch against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
- James Shields – 10
- Alex Gordon – 14
- Wade Davis – 5
- Lorenzo Cain – 8
- Luis Mendoza – 3
- Billy Butler – 10
- Ervin Santana – 10
- Miguel Tejada – 5
- Jeremy Guthrie -5
- Eric Hosmer – 12
- Chris Getz – 3
- Mike Moustakas – 6
- Aaron Crow
- Jarrod Dyson – 3
- David Lough – 8
- Alcides Escobar – 5
- J.C. Gutierrez
- Jeff Francoeur
- Bruce Chen – 4
- Salvador Perez – 5
- Will Smith – 1
- George Kottaras
- Louis Coleman – 2
- Bruce Chen – 2
- Justin Maxwell – 2
- Greg Holland -2
- Danny Duffy
The White Sox
The White Sox, on a whole, didn’t look all that impressive this week but they played with more intensity than the Royals and that’s why they were able to complete their first sweep in Kansas City since 1999.
Jose Quintana yielded just 4 hits, 3 of which were in the 5th inning. That was the only inning in which any Royal crossed home plate. He struck out 7 and walked just one in 7 innings.
The White Sox return home Friday for a weekend tilt against the Rangers.
Up Next
The Royals are now required to play out the rest of the season, even though it is clearly apparent their hitters don’t want to be there. Bruce Chen (5-1, 2.20 ERA) will try to rediscover his starting mojo against the Washington Nationals and Gio Gonzalez (7-6, 3.38 ERA).
AL Central Notes
Detroit Tigers (74-53): Justin Verlander got beat up Thursday to the tune of 6 runs on 10 hits and 3 walks over 7 innings in a 7-6 loss to the Twins. Bruce Rondon actually got the loss for yielding the 7th run in the 8th inning. Austin Jackson and Bryan Holaday each homered in the loss.
Cleveland Indians (69-58): Idle on Thursday. The Indians host the Twins this weekend.
Minnesota Twins (56-70): Ryan Doumit went 2-5 with a home run, run scored, and 3 RBI in the 7-6 win over the Tigers. Chris Hermann added 3 hits and two RBI to the victory.