Alex Gordon’s pair of three-run Home Runs power 8-6 win
By John Viril
Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
It was the Alex Gordon show Sunday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium. With both Kansas City and Baltimore dressed in throwback uniforms to honor the Negro Leagues, Gordon slammed 2 three-run home runs to drive in a career-high 6 RBI’s. The Royals went on to win 8-6 to split the four game series with Baltimore.
The Royals are now 22-21 on the season and remain 7 games behind Detroit in the A.L. Central.
On the Mound
James Shields pitched 7 solid innings, giving up 9 hits, 1 walk, and 3 runs with 3 strikeouts. Shields wasn’t his most dominant, but was good enough to notch his 6th victory against 3 losses this season
Kelvin Herrera pitched a clean inning in the 8th.
Aaron Crow came into to finish up the 9th, but managed only one out before giving up a 3-run home run to Adam Jones (6). The blow ended Crow’s string of 17 innings without giving up an earned run. Crow’s ERA zoomed from 0.00 to 1.56 on the season.
Greg Holland relieved Crow to record the final two outs and earned his 12th save.
At the Plate
Along with his two home runs, Alex Gordon stroked two singles to go a perfect 4-4 on day with 3 runs scored and 6 RBIs.
Billy Butler helped out going 3-4, with a double, two singles, 2 runs scored, and 1RBI.
No other Royal had more than 1 hit, but Norichika Aoki did get on base 3 times by drawing 2 walks along with going 1-2 and two runs scored.
Overall, the Royals had 11 hits, 4 walks, and scored 8 runs powered by Gordon’s timely home runs and Billy Butler’s double.
This and That
The Royals wore replica Kansas City Monarchs uniforms on throwback day, including replica batting helmets rather than their regular helmets with the KC logo. Going to the little extra trouble to use helmets with the “M” logo added to the realism.
Not only did Alex Gordon wear out the Orioles at the plate, he also made a sliding catch in foul territory while smacking the wall.
KC Kingdom Player of the Game
Alex Gordon’s career day easily earns our nod. It might have been the best game of the year by any Royals player.
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- Billy Butler – 2
- Johnny Giavotella
- Wade Davis
- Norichika Aoki
- Salvador Perez – 2
- Jeremy Guthrie
- Jason Vargas – 4
- Alex Gordon – 5
- Bruce Chen
- James Shields – 5
- Yordano Ventura – 3
- Mike Moustakas
- Danny Duffy – 3
- Omar Infante
- Mike Moustakas – 3
- Alcides Escobar – 3
- Eric Hosmer – 4
- Michael Mariot
- Casey Coleman
The Orioles
Adam Jones was the spoilsport for the weekend. Not only did he break up Danny Duffy’s bid for a perfect game on Saturday, he also ruined Aaron Crow’s streak of no earned runs on the season.
Up next
The Royals begin a three game set with the White Sox on Monday. KC sends Jason Vargas ( 4-1, 3.00 ERA) to the mound against Chicago starter Scott Carroll (1-3, 5.24). Game time is 7:10 CST at Kauffman Stadium.
Box
| Batting | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OPS | Pit | Str |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Markakis RF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | .289 | .717 | 15 | 8 |
| Manny Machado 3B | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .239 | .571 | 18 | 12 |
| Adam Jones CF | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | .282 | .725 | 17 | 10 |
| Chris Davis 1B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .231 | .725 | 13 | 10 |
| Nelson Cruz DH | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .273 | .874 | 15 | 9 |
| Steve Clevenger C | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .254 | .711 | 18 | 12 |
| J.J. Hardy SS | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .271 | .620 | 16 | 11 |
| David Lough LF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .177 | .463 | 12 | 9 |
| Jonathan Schoop 2B | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .221 | .622 | 9 | 4 |
| Team Totals | 36 | 6 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 3 | .333 | .819 | 133 | 85 |
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
2B: J Hardy (8, off J Shields).
HR: A Jones (6, off A Crow, 9th inn, 2 on, 1 out to Deep CF-RF).
SF: M Machado (1, off J Shields).
SH: D Lough (2, off J Shields).
HBP: C Davis (4, by J Shields).
TB: A Jones 5; J Hardy 4; M Machado 3; D Lough; J Schoop; N Markakis; S Clevenger.
GIDP: J Hardy (5).
RBI: A Jones 3 (25); N Markakis 2 (14); M Machado (2).
Team LOB: 8.
With RISP: 3 for 10
| Batting | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OPS | Pit | Str |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nori Aoki RF | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .268 | .653 | 24 | 11 |
| Jarrod Dyson CF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .283 | .642 | 3 | 3 |
| Alcides Escobar SS | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .279 | .726 | 20 | 14 |
| Eric Hosmer 1B | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .287 | .719 | 17 | 11 |
| Billy Butler DH | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .240 | .599 | 19 | 11 |
| Alex Gordon LF | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | .268 | .723 | 14 | 9 |
| Salvador Perez C | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .268 | .757 | 14 | 9 |
| Lorenzo Cain CF-RF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .312 | .762 | 18 | 11 |
| Mike Moustakas 3B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .157 | .554 | 17 | 10 |
| Pedro Ciriaco 2B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | 22 | 17 |
| Team Totals | 35 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 8 | .314 | .899 | 168 | 106 |
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
B: B Butler (7, off T Patton).
HR:A Gordon 2 (3, 1 off U Jimenez, 5th inn, 2 on, 2 outs to Deep RF Line, 1 off T Patton, 7th inn, 2 on, 0 outs to Deep CF-RF).
TB: A Gordon 10; B Butler 4; S Perez; N Aoki; L Cain; A Escobar.
RBI: A Gordon 6 (22); B Butler (16); L Cain (10).
2-out RBI: A Gordon 3; B Butler.
Team LOB: 7.
With RISP: 4 for 9.
Fielding
DP: 1. A Escobar-E Hosmer.
Baserunning
SB: P Ciriaco (2, 2nd base off B Brach/S Clevenger).
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | Pit | Str |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ubaldo Jimenez, L (2-5) | 5 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 4.50 | 98 | 67 |
| Brad Brach | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10.13 | 29 | 15 |
| Troy Patton | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6.00 | 21 | 9 |
| Ryan Webb | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3.57 | 20 | 15 |
| Team Totals | 8 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 9.00 | 168 | 106 |
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | Pit | Str |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Shields, W (6-3) | 7 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2.67 | 99 | 64 |
| Kelvin Herrera | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.33 | 14 | 10 |
| Aaron Crow | 0.1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1.56 | 14 | 6 |
| Greg Holland, S (12) | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.16 | 6 | 5 |
| Team Totals | 9 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6.00 | 133 | 85 |
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Balks: None.
WP: None.
HBP: J Shields (6; C Davis).
IBB: None.
Pickoffs: None.