Late Kansas City Royals Rally Fails, White Sox Win

Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Down 7-2 in the top of the 8th inning, the Kansas City Royals staged a furious comeback in the last two innings only to fall 7-6 to the White Sox at Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday night.

Leading 2-1 in the 5th, Yordano Ventura uncorked 3 wild pitches as well as surrendering 3 hits in the half-inning, including a double and a home run. The White Sox scored 3 to take a 4-2 lead. They never trailed again.

The loss drops KC below .500 at 22-23 on the season, and they remain 7 games behind Detroit in the Central.

On the Mound

Yordano Ventura was his own worst enemy Tuesday night. He struggled to control his curve ball all night, and finally bounced three of them in front of home plate in the 5th, when the White Sox had adjusted to his fastball.

While all three runs in the 5th were scored as earned, the three wild pitches played a big role in at least two scores after Tyler Flowers hit a solo home run to tie the game.

Overall, Ventura pitched 6.0 innings, giving up 7 hits, 4 earned runs, and notched 3 strikeouts. Ventura took the loss to fall to 2-4 on the year (2.80 ERA).

Tim Collins pitched a clean 7th. He looks like he’s found his footing after a rough start to the season.

Aaron Crow pitched the 8th and gave up a monstrous 3-run bomb that Adam Dunn drove over the 410 sign in center field. Crow has given up 3 run shots in each of his last two appearances. While stats saddled Ventura with the loss, it was Crow’s failure that cost the Royals the game.

Casey Coleman pitched the 9th and held the Sox scoreless while working around two hits.

At the Plate

Danny Valencia started at 3rd base, even though the White Sox started a right-hander. Valencia had a big night, going 2-3 with a big double in the second that drove in two runs and staked Ventura with an early lead. Valencia also drew a key walk against a righty reliever in the Royals 3-run rally in the 8th.

Lookout Mike Moustakas, it looks like you’re at the end of your very long leash.

Alex Gordon also had a solid night, going 2-4 with 2 RBIs—including driving in the Royals final run in the 9th to pull within one run.

Overall, the Royals had 10 hits, 4 walks and 4 doubles in the game.

This and That

The Royals have lost two straight games 7-6 to the White Sox, and the difference has been that the Royals have hit 5 doubles in the series while Chicago has countered with 5 dingers.

Pedro Ciriaco went 2-4, but the hit that really mattered was the one that White Sox SS robbed from him in the bottom of the 8th that saved a critical run. Ciriaco scorched the ball but just hit it to the wrong guy.

KC Kingdom Player of the Game

I’m going with the supposed platoon player Danny Valencia, who showed that he can hit righties. Tuesday night was his opening argument in his case for a starting job at 3rd base.

Late Kansas City Royals Rally fails, White Sox Win

By John Viril | May 21, 2014