Punchless Royals Lose to Mariners, 3-1

Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

The Royals (17-19) and Mariners (19-17) battled Saturday night in Seattle in game three of a four game series.

The starting pitchers for the game offered a marked contrast in styles. Smallish yet rocket-armed twenty-two year old rookie Yordano Ventura (2-2 / 2.34 ERA) took the mound for the Royals, while 6’10” but soft-tossing thirty-four year old Chris Young (3-0 / 2.63 ERA) started for Seattle. Tragically, for Royals fans, Young and the Mariners would prevail in this one by a score of 3-1.

The Royals struck first with a single run in the third inning on a triple by Mike Moustakas, followed by Alcides Escobar‘s sacrifice fly to deep left field.

The Mariners then stormed back and took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning on a two-run home run by first baseman Justin Smoak.

Seattle extended their lead to 3-1 in the sixth inning on a solo home run by left fielder Dustin Ackley. And that was pretty much the ball game.

Ventura struggled a bit in this one, giving up four walks and six hits in 6 and 1/3 innings, in addition to taking out home plate umpire Scott Barry with a pitch in the dirt that Salvador Perez couldn’t handle. The ball bounced and glanced off Barry’s right wrist, and he ended up leaving the game two batters later. Hopefully, the other umps won’t hold the mishap against Ventura and the Royals as the season progresses (we’ll be watching – Blue!).

Young had the Royals off-balance all night, with pinpoint control. He gave up only three hits and zero walks in eight innings. Fernando Rodney got the save by pitching a scoreless ninth.

The Royals season-long struggle to score runs continues. Optimists will say it can’t get much worse, and will turn around soon. Buddy Bell would attest otherwise. But tomorrow is another day, and the Royals can gain a series split with a win.