Royals Win Fourth Straight, Beat Orioles 6-5

Charlie Sheen would be proud of all the winning going on in Kansas City these days. After sweeping the Minnesota Twins at home for the first time since 1994, the Royals kept the momentum going in a 6-5 win over Baltimore. The victory over the Orioles moves Kansas City's record to 16-13 on the season, and the Royals currently sit comfortably in second place in the struggling AL Central.

Kansas City has participated in several thrilling extra-inning contests this season, and last night's game was yet another nail-biter decided late. Jeff Francoeur ended up being the hero, tying the game with a home run in the sixth inning and hitting a sacrifice fly in tenth that gave the Royals the win. Francoeur is having a strong season, hitting for a .315 average with 7 HRs and 23 RBI. He was a very smart free agent pickup (I guess the Royals were finally due for one) who has helped spark Kansas City's offense while also providing much-needed veteran leadership.

Unfortunately for Kansas City, Jeff Francis continued to struggle. Francis is now winless in his seven starts this season, and has been shelled in his last couple of outings. If the Royals want to keep winning into the summer and make a surprise run at a playoff position, they will need Francis and other starting pitchers to consistently pitch well.

Royals Lose In Third Straight Extra Inning Game

The Royals continue to give fans their money's worth, as nine innings once again was not enough to decide a winner. After winning their first two extended games, the Royals couldn't keep the magic going, falling to the White Sox 10-7.

Joakim Sora, one of the best closers in the league, was to blame for this one. Soria had the White Sox on the ropes - a three run lead with two outs in the ninth - and somehow surrendered four runs and the lead. Soria is one of the best closers in baseball, and this is likely just a rare slip-up from the all-star. When you have a great chance to move to 5-1 on the season and choke like Kansas City did last night, it could be a turning point.

If the Royals begin to lose games and fall apart, this will likely be the game many point at. The Royals' offense has continued to produce, so fans should remain optimistic about the team's chances.

Royals Take White Sox Series in Thrilling Fashion

Winning games these days sure has become hard for the Royals, and this weekend's series against the Chicago White Sox certainly proved this. The Royals and White Sox games all went to extra innings, with the Royals taking two out of three to win the series and finish its recent ten-game home stand at a respectable 6-4.

Yuniesky Betancourt was the hero in game one, belting a game-tying grand slam and later winning the game with a walk-off single. Betancourt, who has been critized all season for his poor play at short-stop and his generous contract, stepped up to give the Royals a win when some had already started heading for the exits. Jason Kendell was the hero in game three, hitting a game winning single into the outfield gap to drive home Gregor Blanco in the 10th inning. The series as a whole provided close, competitive baseball, with an added bonus due to the White Sox being locked in a heated division race with the Minnesota Twins.

While the results were positive, there are still some glaring concerns with this team, most notibly the younger players. Blanco has been solid, however Kila Ka'aihue continues to swing hard at absolutely anything, and other young players are struggling as well. The good news for the Royals is Zach Grienke appears to be back on track and Joakim Soria is consistently dominant at closer.

The Royals have some pieces to build with, and appear to be putting together a solid pitching corps and bullpen. However, the offense has to get better, which includes the younger players that are getting action to close out the year. Betancourt saving the team with a grand slam makes for a good story, but it would be nice if the team could win some games without the heroics. But where would the fun in that be?

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