Royals Bullpen Chokes Away Two Leads, Lose to Padres in Twleve

Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Royals bullpen had two chances to put away the Padres if they could protect a 1-run lead for a half inning. They failed both times and lost 6-5 in 12 innings.

First, closer Greg Holland held a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the 9th. With one out, Jedd Gyorko launched a 406 foot moonshot over the left-field wall to tie the game at 4-4. 

In the top of the 12th, the Royals took a 5-4 lead after Mike Moustakas singled to drive home Salvador Perez from 2nd base. Louis Coleman allowed a single to Chris Denorfia and was relieved by Tim Collins. After a bunt moved Denorfia to second, Collins gave up a double to shallow left by Yonder Alonso and a walkoff single by Will Venable that scored two runs.

In all, it was the kind of pathetic performance that turns a contender into a loser.

The Royal have now dropped 5 straight games, and look poised for yet another “season-killer” losing streak.

On the Mound

Yordano Ventura started and truly dominated the San Diego lineup for 6 innings. He gave up 5 hits, 0 walks, and struck out 10. Unfortunately, San Diego clustered 3 of their hits in the 6th inning, including a damaging 3-run shot by Yasmani Grandal, which tied the game at 3-3.

Aaron Crow entered in the bottom of the 7th after Eric Hosmer‘s home run in the top of the inning put the Royals ahead 4-3. He maintained his perfect 0.00 ERA with a clean 7th inning with 1 strikeout. He has now pitched 12 innings this season without allowing  an earned run.

Wade Davis pitched the 8th with a another clean inning with 1 strikeout.

Greg Holland hung a curveball after getting two strikes on 2B Jedd Gyorko.

Kelvin Herrera came on in the 10th and Louis Coleman the 11th, before Coleman and Collins failed in the 12th.

It was, I think, the worst bullpen performance of the season.

At the Plate

The Royals got plenty of hits Monday night, but they somehow found a way to only score 5 runs on 16 hits and two walks.

Eric Hosmer had the best night going 3-6, with 2 singles, a home run, and 3 RBI’s. His dinger in the top of the 6th barely cleared the right-field wall, but did put the Royals up 4-3. His two-run single in the 5th staked Ventura to a 3-0 lead.

Lorenzo Cain returned from the DL to go 4-5 with 3 singles and 1 double, but somehow managed to stay aloof from any run scoring.

Salvador Perez went 3-6, with 2 doubles and 2 runs scored. He scored the go-ahead run in the top of the 12th on Mike Moustakas single.

Yordano Ventura stroked single for the first hit of his major-league career in his 2nd at bat. He scored a run on Hosmer’s single in the 5th.

This and That

The Royals have now lost their second game in a row in which they scored 4 or more runs, after winning 14 in a row while crossing the 4 run mark.

Jedd Gyorko’s 3-run shot came after Salvador Perez failed to hold a foul tip that would have been strike three. Ventura came back in that inning to strike out the final two hitters after giving up the home run. The most impressive thing about Ventura this season is his improved command. His BB/9 is a perfectly acceptable 2.8, especially when compare to his K/9 of 10.3.

Hosmer’s 5th inning home run was his first of the 2014 season. It’s about time. Now he needs to hit about 5 more to get back on track.

KC Kingdom Player of the Game

Eric Homer’s 3-6 night with 3 RBI and his first home run of 2014 earns him the nod. Frankly, I was so disgusted with the twice-repeated choke from the bullpen, I would have preferred to give out a “noose” award to Tim Collins.

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• Billy Butler — 2
• Norichika Aoki
• Salvador Perez – 2
• Jeremy Guthrie
• Jason Vargas – 4
• Alex Gordon – 3
• Bruce Chen
• James Shields – 3
• Yordano Ventura – 3
• Mike Moustakas
• Danny Duffy
• Omar Infante –
• Mike Moustakas – 2
• Alcides Escobar –3
• Eric Hosmer –4
• Michael Mariot

The Padres

Starter Eric Stults gave up 3 runs in only 4.2 IP, but the Padres outstanding bullpen ended up winning the game by allowing only 2 runs in 7.1 innings. San Diego, however, did use their entire pen of seven relievers to bring home this win.

Ventura held the Padres to two hits, 0 walks, and 0 runs through 5 until their breakthrough in the 6th.

LF Seth Smith was the only Padre to get two hits in a 12 inning game. However, San Diego maximized their 9 hits by slamming 6 for extra bases : including 3 doubles, 1 triple, and two home runs.

Up Next

The Royals continue their series against San Diego. Kansas City will send Jeremy Guthrie (2-2, 4.50 ERA) to the mound to break their 5-game skid against San Diego’s Robbie Erlin (1-4, 5.83). Gametime is 9:10 CST at Petco Park.

Box

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/6/2014.

2B: S Perez 2 (12, 1 off T Stauffer, 1 off E Stults); L Cain (3, off J Benoit).

HR: E Hosmer (1, off N Vincent, 7th inn, 0 on, 1 out to Deep RF).

SH: Y Ventura (1, off D Roach); J Dyson (3, off J Benoit).

TB: E Hosmer 6; S Perez 5; L Cain 5; A Escobar 2; D Valencia; N Aoki; Y Ventura; M Moustakas.

GIDP: S Perez (6); N Aoki (1).

RBI: E Hosmer 3 (13); M Moustakas (13); D Valencia (2).

2-out RBI: M Moustakas.

Team LOB: 11.

With RISP: 4 for 16.

Fielding

E: E Hosmer (2).

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/6/2014.

2B: C Maybin (5, off Y Ventura); S Smith (7, off Y Ventura); Y Alonso (7, off T Collins).

HR: Y Grandal (3, off Y Ventura, 6th inn, 2 on, 1 out to Deep RF); J Gyorko (3, off G Holland, 9th inn, 0 on, 1 out to Deep LF).

SH: A Amarista (1, off T Collins).

TB: S Smith 5; Y Grandal 4; J Gyorko 4; C Maybin 2; Y Alonso 2; E Cabrera; W Venable; C Denorfia.

RBI: Y Grandal 3 (10); W Venable 2 (4); J Gyorko (12).

Team LOB: 6.

With RISP: 3 for 9.

Fielding

DP: 2. A Amarista-J Gyorko-K Blanks; J Gyorko-E Cabrera-Y Alonso.

Outfield Assists: S Smith (A Escobar at 3rd base).

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/6/2014.

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/6/2014.

Balks: None.
WP: None.
HBP: None.
IBB: None.
Pickoffs: None.

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