Omar Infante’s 9th inning Single gives Royals Walkoff Win

The Kansas City Royals won a 1-run game for once, on Omar Infante‘s walkoff single that defeated the Los Angeles Angels 5-4 at Kauffman Stadium Sunday afternoon.

Infante’s 9th inning single broke up a 4-4 tie that had lasted since the top of the 6th inning, when Erick Aybar hit a solo home run off KC starter Jeremy Guthrie. Infante’s RBI also made a winner of Greg Holland, who pitched the top of the 9th.

Kansas City’s victory takes them to 42-39. The Royals also gained a game on Detroit, to pull within 3.5 games of the American League Central lead.

On the Mound

Jeremy Guthrie produced another solid, but not spectacular, outing. Guthrie ate up 6.2 innings, allowing 8 hits, including a double and 2 home runs, 2 walks, 2 earned runs, 2 unearned runs, with 4 strikeouts.

Kelvin Herrera entered with the bases loaded and 2 outs in the 7th, and retired Albert Pujols on a fly ball to center.

Wade Davis pitched a scoreless 8th, despite allowing a walk.

Greg Holland got the win (1-2) for a clean 9th inning, with 2 strikeouts.

At the Plate

Overall, the Royals rapped out 11 hits—4 doubles, 7 singles and added 5 walks. They scored 5 earned runs.

Lorenzo Cain had another good night after getting moved to the leadoff position. He went 4-5, with 3 doubles, and 2 RBI’s.

Danny Valencia went 2-2, with 2 singles, 1 run scored, and 1 RBI before getting replaced by Mike Moustakas in the top of the 5th.

Omar Infante followed up his grand slam on Saturday, with a 3-5 performance that included a double, the game-winning single, 1 run scored, and 1 RBI.

Alcides Escobar continues to be useful at the plate. He got on 3 times Sunday, going 2-3 with two singles, 1 walk, and 1 run scored.

This and That

Despite winning Sunday’s 1-run contest, the Royals are still 9-16 in 1-run games.

Alex Gordon scored the winning run after getting hit by a pitch from reliever Jason Grilli with 1 out in the 9th. Gordon advanced to 3rd when Angel 2nd baseman Howie Kendrick threw wild toward 2nd on what appeared to be a double-play ball.

Gordon also nailed an inattentive Albert Pujols when he tried to trot into 2nd base on what appeared to be a sure double. Bad idea against the best outfield arm in baseball. Escobar also contributed a nice relay throw.  Alex had a pretty eventful game for a guy that didn’t get a hit (0-3).

The Royals defense gave up 2 unearned runs on errors by Lorenzo Cain in the 1st and Eric Hosmer in the 3rd (throwing error).

Manager Ned Yost also appeared to make a questionable call in the 8th when he asked Jarrod Dyson to bunt with 2 strikes to move over Alcides Escobar from 1st base. When Dyson’s bunt attempt went foul, going into the books as a strikeout, it killed the Royals rally.

KC Kingdom Player of the Game

Our nod goes to Lorenzo Cain for his 3 doubles, 4 hits, and 2 RBI’s, despite his unusual miscue in the field.

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• Billy Butler – 2
• Jarrod Dyson – 2
• Lorenzo Cain – 5
• Johnny Giavotella
• Wade Davis
• Norichika Aoki
• Salvador Perez – 5
• Jeremy Guthrie  – 5
• Jason Vargas – 6
• Alex Gordon – 9
• Bruce Chen
• James Shields – 6:10
• Yordano Ventura – 4
• Mike Moustakas
• Danny Duffy – 6
• Omar Infante – 3
• Mike Moustakas – 4
• Alcides Escobar – 4
• Eric Hosmer – 8
• Michael Mariot

The Angels

Kole Calhoun started the game off the right way for the Angels with a leadoff home run (7) against Guthrie in the game’s 1st at bat.  Calhoun went 2-5 with the home run, a single, 2 runs scored, and 1 RBI.

Up Next

The Royals travel to Minnesota to take on the Twins Monday night. Kansas City will send Danny Duffy (4-7, 2.69 ERA) to the mound against Yohan Pino (0-1, 6.30 ERA) for the Twins. Game time is 7:10 CST at Target Field in Minneapolis.

Box

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table.

2B: J Hamilton (8, off J Guthrie).
HR: K Calhoun (7, off J Guthrie, 1st inn, 0 on, 0 outs to Deep RF); E Aybar (6, off J Guthrie, 6th inn, 0 on, 2 outs to Deep RF).
TB: K Calhoun 5; E Aybar 4; H Conger 2; J Hamilton 2; M Trout; A Pujols.
GIDP: K Calhoun (1); A Pujols (10).
RBI: J Hamilton (19); E Aybar (41); K Calhoun (19).
2-out RBI: E Aybar; J Hamilton.
Team LOB: 6.
With RISP: 1 for 4.
Fielding
E: H Kendrick (7).
Outfield Assists: J Hamilton (O Infante at 3rd base).

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table.

2B: L Cain 3 (14, 2 off C Wilson, 1 off C Rasmus); O Infante (7, off C Wilson).
IBB: B Butler (2, by C Wilson).
HBP: S Perez (2, by C Wilson); A Gordon (6, by J Grilli).
TB: L Cain 7; O Infante 4; A Escobar 2; D Valencia 2.
RBI: L Cain 2 (35); A Gordon (42); D Valencia (8); O Infante (40).
2-out RBI: A Gordon.
Team LOB: 12.
With RISP: 3 for 12.
Fielding
DP: 2. O Infante-A Escobar-E Hosmer; D Valencia-O Infante-E Hosmer.
E: E Hosmer (6); L Cain (2).
Outfield Assists: A Gordon (A Pujols at 2nd base).
Baserunning
CS: A Escobar (2, 3rd base by C Rasmus/H Conger).

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table.

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table.

Balks: None.
WP: None.
HBP: C Wilson (7; S Perez); J Grilli (2; A Gordon).
IBB: C Wilson (2; B Butler).
Pickoffs: None.