Alcides Escobar's two Clutch RBI's downs Oakland

Alcides Escobar came through with 2, 2-out singles to drive in 2 runs in Kansas City’s 3-2 win over Oakland at Kauffman Stadium Monday night.

After Escobar broke up a 2-2 tie in the 7th inning with his single, the Royals followed their patented late-game formula of Wade Davis followed by Greg Holland to finish out the win. With these two guys in the back of the pen, the game is almost 7 innings long if the Royals hold a lead.

The win puts Kansas City a season-high 11 games over .500 at 64-53. The Royals seized first place by 1/2 game over the fading Tigers who lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates last night. The Royals also remain 1.5 games ahead of Toronto for the 2nd wild card.

On the Mound

Yordano Ventura pitched 6.0 strong innings, allowing only 2 hits, 4 walks, and 2 earned runs with 5 strikeouts. He left with the score tied at 2-2, so did not qualify for the win.

Kelvin Herrera entered in the 7th and pitched a clean inning with 2 strikeouts.

Wade Davis tossed another clean inning with 1 strikeout in the 8th.

Greg Holland nailed down his 35th save despite allowing 1 hit and 1 walk.

At the Plate

The Royals scored 3 runs despite only managing to get 6 singles and 3 walks against A’s pitching.

Alcides Escobar was the hero, with 2 clutch, 2-out singles in the 3rd and 7th innings that drove in single runs. Overall, Escobar went 2 for 3 with 2 singles, and 2 RBI’s.

No other Royal had more than one hit, though Lorezno Cain did reach twice with 2 walks. Salvador Perez grounded into a double play in the first inning with runners on 1st and 3rd to score the other run.

Jarrod Dyson and Omar Infante openet d the game with back-to-back singles against tough Oakland starter Sonny Gray. Dyson scored on Perez’s grounder.

This and That

Sung Woo Lee has been a perfect 7-0 in his week in Kansas City. Dayton Moore should put him on staff.

Oakland snapped Billy Butler‘s 7 game hitting streak on the same day MLB Network announced him as MLB Player of the Week for the period ending August 10.

Mike Moustakas pulled himself back over the Mendoza line by going 1-3 with a single. Moustakas is batting .201 for the season. Moutakas also turned a nice double play to end the game with runners at 1st and 2nd and 1 out in the 9th inning to end the game.

The Royals first run was aided by Josh Reddick‘s comical attempt at a throw in right field. After fielding Infante’s single, Reddick whiffed the throw—which only went about 15 feet. The pratfall allowed Dyson to advance to 3rd after he had stopped at second base. Dyson then scored on Salvador Perez’s double-play grounder.

Jarrod Dyson celebrated the win with a backflip in at the end of the game.

KC Kingdom Player of the Game

I’m going with Alcides Escobar for his two clutch RBI singles, including the game-winner in the 7th inning.

Alcides Escobar’s two Clutch RBI’s downs Oakland

By John Viril | Aug 12, 2014