Miscue Rescues Kansas City Royals in Extra-Inning Win

One out away from their 5th straight defeat, the Kansas City Royals got new life when Toronto SS Jose Reyes bounced a throw toward first after fielding Salvador Perez‘s grounder. The error allowed Jarrod Dyson to score, which tied the game at 6-6. Omar Infante took advantage of the reprieve by singling home two runs in the top of the 10th on the way to Kansas City’s 8-6 win.

Thursday’s win came on the same day that the Royals dismissed hitting coach Pedro Grifol and replaced him with Dale Sveum. The Royals hitter responded with a day in which every starter hit safely.

Reliever Wade Davis got the win to go 4-1 on the year. The victory brings the Royals within 3 games of .500 at 25-28. Kansas City remains 6.5 games behind Detroit in the A.L. Central.

On the Mound

It was a rough start for ace James Shields, who lasted 7.0 innings, while giving up 8 hits, 3 home runs, 0 walks, and 6 earned runs. Shields did manage to eat up innings and kept his team in the game. He did, however, surrender a 1-run lead by giving up a 2-run home run to Edwin Encarnacion in the 6th.

Wade Davis followed with 2 innings of perfect relief. Davis didn’t allow a baserunner and racked up 2 strikeouts. Infante’s two-run single gave Davis his 4th win of the season.

Greg Holland finished off the 10th by earning his league-leading 15th save.

At the Plate

The Royals bats, apparently, lost their fear of hitting the ball with a new hitting coach. Obviously, Dale Sveum didn’t have any time to work miracles with his new charges. But, I don’t think the deluge of hits was any accident. The change resulted in a temporary jolt in the focus of Kansas City players at the plate. Yet, such a thing never lasts.

Omar Infante was the batting star. His two well-timed hits allowed him to go 2-6 on the day, with 3 RBI’s—including the game winning hit in the top of the 10th.

Alcides Escobar stroked 3 singles, going 3-5 on the day, with two runs scored and his 15th stolen base.

Salvador Perez, went 1-4, with his 5th home run of the year.

Overall, the team had 14 hits, 2 walks, 4 doubles, and a home run. The 8-run outburst saved the team from their 5th straight loss.

This and That

The loss ended Toronto’s 9-game winning streak.

Edwin Encarnacion’s 2 home runs give him 16 for the month of May. He broke teammate jose Bautista’s team record of 14, and is one short of Barry Bonds‘ record of 17 in a month. Encarnacion has two more games against Kansas City pitching to finish off May.

Toronto’s hitting coach is former Royals coach Kevin Seitzer, who was fired in favor of the Jack Maloof and Andre David tandem before the 2013 season. Seitzer’s Blue Jays lead major-league baseball with 274 runs scored. Take that Ned Yost.

KC Kingdom Player of the Game

Omar Infante gets the nod with his timely hitting that drove in 3 runs. Infante’s single in the 10th rescued the team from another discouraging loss. Perhaps the Royals can now avoid their second straight May implosion.

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• Billy Butler – 2
• Lorenzo Cain
• Johnny Giavotella
• Wade Davis
• Norichika Aoki
• Salvador Perez – 2
• Jeremy Guthrie  – 3
• Jason Vargas – 5
• Alex Gordon – 5
• Bruce Chen
• James Shields – 5
• Yordano Ventura – 3
• Mike Moustakas
• Danny Duffy – 3
• Omar Infante – 2
• Mike Moustakas – 3
• Alcidese Escobar – 3
• Eric Hosmer – 6
• Michael Mariot
• Casey Coleman
• Danny Valencia

The Blue Jays

Edwin Encarnacion continued his fabulous month of May with a pair of 2-run home runs off James Shields. Encarnacion was 2-4 on the day, with 4 RBI’s and 2 runs scored. He is slugging a ludicrous .789 on the month with a 1.139 OPS. Encarnacion is 2nd in the A.L. with 18 home runs.

Jose Bautista slammed his 13th home run to account for the other 2 Toronto runs.  Bautista finished the day 1-4, with 1 run scored and 2 RBI’s.

 Up Next

The Royals and Blue Jays continue their 4-game series on Friday. Kansas City sends Jason Vargas (4-2, 3.55 ERA) to the mound against J.A. Happ (4-1, 3.34 ERA) for Toronto. Game time is 6:07 CST at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.

Box

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

2B: E Hosmer (19, off R Dickey); A Gordon (14, off R Dickey); P Ciriaco (2, off R Dickey); L Cain (6, off R Dickey).
HR: S Perez (5, off R Dickey, 2nd inn, 0 on, 1 out to Deep LF Line).
SH: N Aoki (4, off T Redmond).
HBP: N Aoki (2, by S Delabar); S Perez (1, by R Rasmussen); P Ciriaco (1, by T Redmond).
TB: S Perez 4; A Gordon 3; A Escobar 3; E Hosmer 2; O Infante 2; L Cain 2; B Butler 2; P Ciriaco 2; N Aoki.
RBI: O Infante 3 (23); S Perez (13); A Gordon (27); P Ciriaco (2); B Butler (21).
Team LOB: 11.
With RISP: 6 for 18.
Baserunning
SB: A Escobar (15, 2nd base off S Delabar/J Thole); J Dyson (10, 2nd base off C Janssen/J Thole).

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

HR: J Bautista (13, off J Shields, 1st inn, 1 on, 1 out to Deep LF); E Encarnacion 2 (18, 2 off J Shields, 4th inn, 1 on, 1 out to Deep LF; 6th inn, 1 on, 2 outs to Deep LF).
TB: E Encarnacion 8; J Bautista 4; M Cabrera 2; A Gose 2; A Lind 2.
RBI: E Encarnacion 4 (48); J Bautista 2 (38).
2-out RBI: E Encarnacion 2.
Team LOB: 1.
With RISP: 0 for 0.
Fielding
DP: 1. J Reyes-B Lawrie.
E: J Reyes (5).
Outfield Assists: J Bautista (B Butler).
Baserunning
Pickoffs: A Gose (1st base by J Shields); M Cabrera (1st base by J Shields).

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

R Dickey faced 2 batters in the 6th inning.
Balks: None.
WP: R Rasmussen (1).
HBP: T Redmond (1; P Ciriaco); S Delabar (2; N Aoki); R Rasmussen (1; S Perez).
IBB: None.
Pickoffs: J Shields 2 (2; A Gose, 1st base, M Cabrera, 1st base).