It started out as a slugfest – back-to-back-to-back doubles and a single two batters later gave the Royals a quick 3-0 lead in Texas. One wouldn’t have been blamed for calling the Royals Mario, because they were immediately one-upped – Ian Kinsler led off the game with a home run (the 15th of his career), and then David Murphy capped of the scoring with a homer run to put the Rangers ahead 5-3. They were on pace to play the longest nine-inning game in ML history, and the highest scoring to boot (40-27, no big deal).
KC wasn’t going to take that lying down, putting up another three-spot in the 2nd as Eric Hosmer picked up his second hit of the game. “Oh yeah!?!”, said the Rangers. Ian Kinsler led off with the walk this time (Texas batted around in the first), and came around to score the first of the team’s two runs in the inning. After two, it was 7-6 Texas. Neither Colby Lewis nor Nate Adcock looked likely to stick around much longer.
And then it just stopped. Lewis pitched four more innings, giving up just a single. Adcock did go, but Felipe Paulino relieved him and cruised through 4.1 scoreless (1 single, 3 K). Arthur Rhodes and Mark Lowe held down the fort through 8 for Texas. Everett Teaford (how are this guy and a Nate Adcock pitching in the same game?) did the same for KC. We go to the 9th.
Neftali Feliz – he of the ERA close to one despite a K/BB ratio of 0.6 – in for the save. Things looked alright. A flyout, one down. Feliz gets ahead of Alex Gordon 1-2, looking to improve that K/BB a bit. Then he left a fastball in the middle of the plate, and Gordon deposited it into the upper deck. Even when it’s 99 mph, you sometimes have to locate a little better. Third blown save of the season for Feliz, and they’ve all come versus KC. Tim Collins loaded the bases in the bottom of the 9th without allowing a hit (walk-HBP-walk), but managed to strike Nelson Cruz out looking to send the game to extra. No scoring since the second inning, and all of a sudden there’s a brand new ballgame.
The next four innings looked a lot like everything between the third and the eighth – not much going on. David Bush came out for the top of the 14th, striking out the first batter. Unlikely hero of game alert – Melky Cabrera hits a flyball to the opposite field , and it just keeps carrying and carrying… and carries right over the outstretched glove of center-fielder Craig Gentry for a home run. Royals up 8-7. It was in the first inning that Melky and Eric Hosmer took part in that stretch of doubles, so good for the rookie in completing the full upgrade. His 4th hit of the game was his 4th home run of the season – a shot to dead center to make it 9-7 KC. When Billy Butler singled an out later and a passed ball moved him to second, the Rangers decided to intentionally walk Wilson Betemit (.835 OPS) to get to Brayan Pena (.583 OPS). Well that sure didn’t work, as Pena did a fine Eric Hosmer impersonation. Third home run of the inning, and the lead went to 12-7 KC. And that’s how it ended, as Joakim Soria finished things of for the Royals.
Quite a game; a ton of action in short bursts, with a whole lot of nothing in between. Not a bad way to turn around a five-game losing streak for KC. And, fun fact – the Royals have now hit more home runs in the 14th inning this year (3) than they have in the first, third, or fifth (2).
Also last night: Red Sox take sole possession of first place; David Price K’s 12 as the Rays shut out the Indians; the Phillies score the 9th inning comeback versus the Mets; the Angels turn a 5-0 deficit around in short order late; Brandon Crawford’s first major league hit was a doozy; James Loney hits like an actual first-baseman; and much more.
What to watch tonight: Clay Buchholz tries to keep the Red Sox in the lead, facing off against Andy Oliver making his first start of 2011; Seattle just go back to .500, and they have a good chance to get above it with King Felix on the mound versus New York’s Ivan Nova; Zach Duke comes off the DL, making his first appearance for the Diamondbacks, who are just 1.5 games out in the NL West; Juan Nicasion makes his major league debut for Colorado – no pressure, facing Jamie Garcia (5-0, 1.93 ERA) and the high-scoring Cardinals. Full schedule with probable pitchers here.
