KC Headlines: #A1, NBA Draft, Dunk City
By Ben Nielsen
Jun 26, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals left fielder Alex Gordon (4) celebrates after hitting in the winning run in the tenth inning of the game against the Atlanta Braves at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
ABOUT LAST NIGHT…
Royals 4, Braves 3 (10 innings)
Alex Gordon! Runs! Sweet victory!
Alex Gordon led off the game with a homer and ended it with a walk-off singles to beat the Braves last night. Luis Mendoza was fantastic until Bruce Chen and Luke Hochevar screwed it up in the seventh inning. No matter though as Gordon was able to save the game in the 10th.
Detroit lost to Los Angeles so KC is now only 5.5 back of first and three games under .500. The win also clinched winning June.
Royals Nugget: Gordon is the second player in franchise history to lead off the game with a homer and then end it with a walk-off hit. Gregg Jefferies was the first to do it in 1992 when he homered off Ron Darling of the Oakland A’s to lead off the game and then drove in Curt Wilkerson with a single in the 10th off of Jeff Parrett. KC won the game 6-5. You can find the very entertaining box score here.
Ben McLemore, Jeff Withey, and Phil Pressey will anxiously wait to hear their names in the NBA Draft tonight. McLemore’s stock is slipping but he is still expected to be picked in the top seven. Withey could go anywhere from 17 overall to the second round, while most thing Pressey will be selected sometime in the second round.
ALCIDES ESCOBAR BATS SECOND
Apparently yesterday was “Rip on the Batting Order” day in Royals land. It is completely justified, of course, which is why Joe Posnanski took some time to rail on it. Here is a roundup of all the takes on Escobar batting second.
– Alcides Escobar and the “Ideal” Two-Hole Hitter (KC Kingdom)
– Dear Ned Yost: Please Hit Escobar Ninth (Joe Posnanski)
– Batting Orders are Almost always Talked About Too Much. Almost Always… (Sam Mellinger)
– Batting Second, Alcides Escobar (Craig Brown)
– Yost Stands By Decision to Bat Escobar Second (Jeffrey Flanagan)
IN OTHER NEWS…
– Ventura, Almonte Named To All-Star Futures Roster (Kings of Kauffman)
– Eric Hosmer’s Power Returns (Kings of Kauffman)
– Herm Edwards Haunting Brandon Flowers (Arrowhead Addict)
– How Many Wins Shoudl Chiefs Fans Expect in 2013? (Arrowhead Addict)
ELSEWHERE AND EVERYWHERE…
– Aaron Hernandez has been arrested for murder. Was immediately released by the Patriots.
– Landon Donovan expected to be included on the Gold Cup roster. USA in a group with Belize, Cuba, and Costa Rica.
– Wisconsin man pleads guilty to having sex with a love seat. This guy looks exactly like you’d think he would.
– An estimated 25% of the Chicago workforce showed up late for work the day after winning the Stanley Cup. Come on Royals!
– A man in Law Vegas was shot by his boss because he wasn’t working hard enough. Er, never mind Royals.
ONE MORE THING…
It should not surprise you this kid is being recruited by Dunk City (aka Florida Gulf Coast).