Billy Butler's Error Sets-up Royals to Lose

Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Billy Butler‘s error put the Kansas City Royals in position to lose when Greg Holland then allowed a single and double with two outs in the 10th inning. The gaffe put Kansas City behind 4-2 when the game was suspended due to rain.

The game will be continued in Cleveland with the Royals down 4-2 in the 10th inning, because the teams will not play any more games in Kansas City.

In an awful weekend, the Royals stranded hordes of runners, made errors, and choked away two extra-inning games. In short, they played like pathetic losers who don’t deserve to make the playoffs.

The suspension leaves Kansas City 13 games over .500 at 74-61. The Royals officially remain 1/2 game ahead of Detroit the A.L. Central after the Tigers lost 6-2 to Chicago. The Indians are 3.5 games back, but poised to gain a game if they can hold a 2-run lead in a 1/2 inning the next time KC travels to Cleveland.

On the Mound

Danny Duffy again pitched well enough to win but did not get run support. Duffy went 6.2 innings, allowing 5 hits, 3 walks, and 2 runs (1 earned) with 6 strikeouts. He left the game trailing 2-1 in the 7th. Gordon’s 9th inning home run (18) prevented Duffy from getting another undeserved loss.

Kelvin Herrera got the last out in the 7th and pitched a scoreless 8th inning with 1 strikeout.

Wade Davis held the Indians scoreless in the 9th, allowing 1 hit and notching 1 strikeout.

At the Plate

Alex Gordon‘s sacrifice fly gave the Royals a 1-0 lead in the 1st, and his 9th inning solo shot (18) tied the game at 2-2. Gordon has been a best in the late innings at the end of August with 3 game-trying or game-winning home runs in the last week (since August 26). Overall, Gordon went 2 for 3 with a single, home run (18), 1 run scored, and 2 RBI’s.

This and That

The game was featured on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball.

The unearned run allowed by Danny Duffy came off his own fielding error. Twenty of the team’s 79 errors have been charged to the pitching staff, and the Royals have the 2nd most pitcher errors in baseball (behind the Rockies), and the most in the American League.

Wade Davis has pitched 26.2 consecutive scoreless innings.

Alex Gordon has had 2 at bats against Cleveland closer Cody Allen and has hit 2 home runs.

Gordon’s blast ended Cody Allen‘s string of 17 consecutive saves.

The game ended up suspended due to rain and will be finished on Kansas City’s next trip to Cleveland.

KC Kingdom Player of the Game

Alex Gordon gets our nod for his game-tying home run in the 9th (18). Gordon has been clutch the last week with 3 late inning home runs. Who said the Royals didn’t have a superstar? Its not Gordon’s fault that Billy Butler failed with the glove and Greg Holland collapsed after a bad fielding play.

Billy Butler’s Error Sets-up Royals for Loss

By John Viril | Aug 31, 2014