Royals Report: 3 Things About Brawl In Baltimore

3) As The Game Turned

Before Ventura created the meltdown, the KC Royals had plenty of opportunities to get back into the game. After Baltimore opened a 4-0 lead in the first inning, the Kansas City Royals opened each of the next four innings with a hit.

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The KC Royals opened the top of the second with a double from Kendrys Morales, and Paulo Orlando reached first on an error. Orlando then stole second to give the Royals runners on second and third with no outs. Jimenez then stuck out two and got Reymond Fuentes to line out to third.

In the third, Whit Merrifield opened the inning with a single and then got caught stealing despite the Kansas City Royals trailing by four runs. The worst failure, however, came in the fourth inning.

Kendrys Morales opened the inning with a single, followed by an infield hit from Orlando. Cuthbert singled to center to load the bases with no outs. Reymond Fuentes walked to force in a run.

Alcides Escobar, however, lined out first base, Whit Merrifield struck out after a long batting that included a ball just wide of the right field foul pole to miss a game-tying grand slam, and Lorenzo Cain lined out to center.

Though the KC Royals also put two runners on base in the fifth, it was the fourth inning failure that turned the game. If the Kansas City Royals had managed to pull off a big inning, it’s unlikely that Ventura would have thrown at Machado in the fifth.

I suspect both Machado barking at him and Ventura’s frustration with his poor performance and the team’s struggles that led to him pegging Mechado.

Next: Whit Merrifield