Royals support James Shields with Two Home Runs in Win over Colorado
By John Viril
Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
The Kansas City Royals opened their 9-game homestand with a sold 5-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night.
Royals starter James Shields went 7 strong innings, allowing only 5 hits, 0 walks, and 1 earned run with 8 strikeouts. Lorenzo Cain and Salvador Perez supported him with home runs—which was the 2nd straight game the Royals slammed 2 four-baggers.
The Royals have now won 2 straight games and are even at 19-19 on the season. The Royals are now 5.5 games behind Detroit in the Central.
On the Mound
James Shields ran his record to 5-3 with a 2.54 ERA with his victory on Tuesday. His command was excellent, throwing 75 strikes out of 98 total pitches. He looked like the ace that he is against a Rockies lineup that has the highest team batting average in baseball at .298.
Set up man Wade Davis relieved Shields in the 8th, and pitched a clean inning with 2 strikeouts.
Aaron Crow finished up in the 9th with yet another inning without allowing an earned run. Crow’s ERA remains a perfect 0.00 in 16.0 IP this season.
At the Plate
The patient Royals smacked 8 hits and drew 7 walks while scoring 5 runs Tuesday.
Lorenzo Cain broke a 1-1 tie with his 2-run dinger in the 4th inning. Cain went 1-2, with 2 walks, 2 RBI’s and 1 run scored on the day.
Salvador Perez went 2-4 with a single, his 4th HR of the season in the 5th inning, and 1 RBI and 1 run scored.
Alcides Escobar added yet another solid day at the plate going 2-4, with a single, double, and 2 RBI’s.
This and That
Omar Infante was placed on the 15-day DL before the game, with Pedro Ciriaco recalled from Omaha.
The Rockies came into the game with the highest team batting average in baseball despite playing in the National League—which is very impressive in a league where the pitcher hits. The Rockies have also slammed 57 home runs this season compared to 18 for Kansas City.
KC Kingdom Player of the Game
James Shields gets our nod today with his dominating 7 innings against the most prolific hitting lineup in baseball. His 8 strikeouts and 0 walks left the Rockies flailing all day.
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- Billy Butler — 2
- Johnny Giavotella
- Wade Davis
- Norichika Aoki
- Salvador Perez – 2
- Jeremy Guthrie
- Jason Vargas – 4
- Alex Gordon – 3
- Bruce Chen
- James Shields – 5
- Yordano Ventura – 3
- Mike Moustakas
- Danny Duffy — 2
- Omar Infante
- Mike Moustakas – 2
- Alcides Escobar — 3
- Eric Hosmer –4
- Michael Mariot
The Rockies
Colorado only mounted one threat in the game by accumulating 3 of their 5 hits against Shields in the 4th inning. Justin Morneau drove in Troy Tulowitzki from second with a 1-out single.
Starter Franklin Morales didn’t fool anyone on Tuesday. Along with 8 hits and 4 walks, Morales failed to strike out a single Kansas City batter.
Up Next
The Royals conclude their brief 2-game set against the Rockies by sending Jason Vargas (3-1, 3.04 ERA) to the mound against Colorado’s Jhoulys Chacin (0-1, 4.91 ERA). Gametime is 1:10 CST at Kauffman Stadium.
Box
| Rockies Batting | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlie Blackmon CF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .342 | .972 |
| Corey Dickerson DH | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .350 | 1.036 |
| Troy Tulowitzki SS | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .394 | 1.253 |
| Carlos Gonzalez LF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .263 | .789 |
| Nolan Arenado 3B | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .315 | .851 |
| Justin Morneau 1B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .329 | .943 |
| Brandon Barnes RF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .329 | .814 |
| Jordan Pacheco C | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .237 | .665 |
| DJ LeMahieu 2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .280 | .684 |
| Team Totals | 31 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 12 | .161 | .349 |
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/14/2014.
TB: N Arenado 2; T Tulowitzki; J Morneau; C Gonzalez.
GIDP: J Morneau (3).
RBI: J Morneau (30).
2-out RBI: J Morneau.
Team LOB: 4.
With RISP: 1 for 4.
Fielding
DP: 2. N Arenado-D LeMahieu-J Morneau; T Tulowitzki-D LeMahieu-J Morneau.
| Royals Batting | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nori Aoki RF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .272 | .654 |
| Eric Hosmer 1B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .312 | .780 |
| Billy Butler DH | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .239 | .606 |
| Salvador Perez C | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .267 | .766 |
| Alex Gordon LF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .262 | .693 |
| Danny Valencia 3B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .279 | .698 |
| Pedro Ciriaco PR-2B | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Johnny Giavotella 2B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .222 | .639 |
| Mike Moustakas 3B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .147 | .536 |
| Lorenzo Cain CF | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .318 | .779 |
| Alcides Escobar SS | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .282 | .740 |
| Team Totals | 29 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 0 | .276 | .934 |
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/14/2014.
2B: A Escobar (10, off F Morales).
HR: L Cain (1, off F Morales, 4th inn, 1 on, 1 out to Deep LF); S Perez (4, off F Morales, 5th inn, 0 on, 1 out to Deep LF).
TB: S Perez 5; L Cain 4; A Escobar 3; D Valencia; J Giavotella; N Aoki.
GIDP: D Valencia (2); S Perez (8).
RBI: A Escobar 2 (17); L Cain 2 (9); S Perez (12).
2-out RBI: A Escobar.
Team LOB: 7.
With RISP: 1 for 8.
Fielding
DP: 1. D Valencia-E Hosmer.
Baserunning
SB: A Gordon (1, 2nd base off F Morales/J Pacheco).
Pickoffs: A Escobar (1st base by N Masset).
| Rockies Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | Pit | Str |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Morales, L (3-3) | 5 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 5.40 | 99 | 55 |
| Tommy Kahnle | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.71 | 27 | 15 |
| Nick Masset | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2.25 | 15 | 7 |
| Team Totals | 8 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5.62 | 141 | 77 |
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/14/2014.
| Royals Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | Pit | Str |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Shields, W (5-3) | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2.54 | 98 | 75 |
| Wade Davis, H (7) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2.08 | 13 | 9 |
| Aaron Crow | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.00 | 18 | 12 |
| Team Totals | 9 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 1.00 | 129 | 96 |
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/14/2014.
Balks: None.
WP: N Masset (1).
HBP: None.
IBB: None.
Pickoffs: N Masset (1; A Escobar, 1st base).
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