Royals Win Third Straight Game

The Royals have been playing some pretty good baseball lately, winning their third straight game last night with a dominating 8-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. Kansas City has now won seven out of its past 10 games, and has improved its record to 48-63 on the season.

One big reason the team is winning games is due to a suddenly hot offense, led by Billy Butler and Alex Gordon. Both players homered in the first inning last night, giving the Royals a commanding 4-0 lead early on. Butler has three homers in the past week, and has raised his average to .303 for the season with 23 home runs and 72 RBI. Gordon has also cranked up the offensive production, raising his season average to .294. Gordon is batting .347 since the All-Star break, and while he has failed to provide the Royals’ offense with power, his ability to get on base in front of players like Butler has been very valuable, as has his defense in the outfield.

The Royals have also gotten some strong pitching performances recently, only giving up five total runs over the past three games. The biggest surprise was the recently-acquired Jeremy Guthrie, who was dominate in an eight-inning performance against the White Sox. Guthrie was acquired when Kansas City traded Jonathan Sanchez, and it appeared as if the team had merely swapped one struggling pitcher for another. If Guthrie can turn things around and continue to pitch well, he could find a permanent spot in Kansas City’s rotation entering next season.

The Royals will be back in action tonight, facing the Orioles in game two of the teams’ four-game series. Luke Hochevar (7-9) will start for Kansas City, while Miguel Gonzalez (3-2) will start for Baltimore. The game will begin at 6:05 p.m.

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Royals Avoid Sweep With Extra Innings Victory Over Rangers

The Royals pulled off an improbably comeback today, beating the Texas Rangers in extra innings, 7-6. The game winning run was scored by Eric Hosmer, who scored on a costly throwing error by rookie Mike Olt to end the game. With the win, Kansas City moves to 45-62 on the season.

With the scored tied up at 6 in the bottom of the 10^th, the Rangers made several critical mistakes that allowed the Royals to steal the game. Olt’s error lead to the end of the game on Jeff Francoeur’s grounder, but Texas had shot itself in the foot previously in the inning to put themselves in that position. Alberto Gonzalez botched a routine ground ball only three pitches earlier which allowed Hosmer to advance.

It appeared as if the Royals were on the verge of being swept all game, as Texas took a three run lead in the fourth inning. After Kansas City regained the lead thanks to home runs by Francoeur and Bryan Pena, Olt tied the game up for the Rangers on a double from Michael Young. Elvis Andrus attempted to give the Rangers the lead on the same play, but was thrown out at home. Texas would have another opportunity to win the game in the top of the tenth, when they loaded the bases with only one out. Alcides Escobar made a great diving catch for the second out of the inning, and Greg Holland struck out Olt to keep Kansas City alive.

The Royals start a seven game road trip tomorrow, when they travel to Chicago to take on the White Sox. Luis Mendoza (5-7), who has been pitching well of late, will take the mound for Kansas City.  Chris Sale (12-3), in the midst of one of the best pitching seasons in the majors this year, will start for Chicago.

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Royals Drop Series To Mariners, Resign Jason Kendall

On one of the hottest days of the year, the Royals had absolutely no answer for the red-hot Felix Hernandez, only producing one run in a 6-1 loss to the Mariners yesterday. The loss means that despite an easy post All Star break schedule, the team has yet to win a series since play resumed.

Hernandez worked through the eighth, only allowing a run when Chris Getz hit a single in the 5th to drive home Eric Hosmer. The Royals had a great chance to get back into the game in the eighth inning, when the team loaded the bases with only one out. Hernandez, who leads the league in strikeouts, fanned Alcides Escobar and got Billy Butler to ground out, ending any hope the Royals had for a comeback.

Seattle’s offense was led by Jesus Montero, who homered and drove in four runs of rookie Will Smith. Smith had pitched well in Triple-A Omaha before being called up due to the struggles the Royals have had in the bullpen, and despite his poor performance yesterday, he will likely get several more chances to earn a permanent spot in the rotation.

The Royals were busy making some deals as well, most notably their resigning of catcher Jason Kendall to a minor league contract. Kendall played for Kansas City in 2010 before missing all of 2011 due to injury. At 38, it is hard to imagine that Kendall has much left in the tank, but he played well for the team in 2010 and is a former three-time All Star. If the injury bug that has bitten the Royals pitching staff hits Kansas City’s offense, we may very well see Kendall called up sometime before the season ends.

Kansas City begins a three game series with Minnesota tonight to conclude the team’s ten game home stand. Luke Hochevar (6-8) will start for the Royals, and Nick Blackburn (4-5) will start for the Twins. Game one begins tonight at 7:10 p.m.

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