Royals Report: 5 Things About KC Rebound In Detroit

The Royals rebounded from a tough loss on Friday night, to take an 8-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Saturday night.

The Kansas City Royals improved to 46-44, and pulled within 7.5 games of AL Central leader Cleveland pending the result of their game against the Twins (4-4 tie in the bottom of the ninth). The Tigers fell to 47-44 and 7.0 games behind the Indians.

The KC Royals offense got the job done against the Tigers with an 11 hit, 7 walk attack that produced eight runs. The Kansas City Royals also benefited from a hit batsman and wild pitch to produce a four-run first inning, and a three-run fifth inning. Those crooked frames pretty much determined the game’s outcome.

Let’s just hope the patience at the plate is something that continues into the second half of the season, rather than being just a one-game blip. Yet, I doubt many people that has watched this team over the last 2.5 years has much hope of that. Though, I will point out that free-swinging hitters Alcides Escobar and Salvador Perez both drew walks in this game.

Every Knasas City Royals starter hit safely except for Kendrys Morales, who did contribute a walk. That means all nine KC Royals hitters reached base safely Saturday night.

On to my observations about Saturday’s game:

Next: The First Inning

5) Royals Rode Strong First Inning To Win

The KC Royals got just what the doctor ordered by putting up four runs against Detroit starter Mike Pelfrey before the Tigers even got to the plate. What a way to set the tone after letting a seventh-inning lead slip away the night before. 

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The Kansas City Royals very much needed to get off to a good start in the second half, and losing the first game while blowing a save wasn’t exactly what they wanted. The strong start against a pitch-to-contact starter like Pelfrey was a godsend.

Escobar opened the game with a ground out, followed by a double from Eric Hosmer, a walk to Kendrys Morales, another walk to Salvador Perez, and a single from Alex Gordon to break the ice and give the Royals a 1-0 lead. Pelfrey plunked Paulo Orlando with a pitch to force in the second run, followed by a ground ball single by Cheslor Cutbert to put KC up 3-0. Christian Colon grounded out to shortstop to score the fourth run of the inning.

The real key to the inning was the back to back walks by Morales and Perez that put Pelfrey in a world of hurt. As a guy who lacks swing and miss stuff, all he could do is hope the KC Royals hit into a double play. Fortunately, for Kansas City, they avoided that fate and did just enough to put up a crooked inning.

The best part was the four run rally killed the sour taste from last night’s loss. It was also a vintage keep-the-line-moving rally that the KC Royals will need to do more of in the coming weeks if they are to pull themselves back into the AL Central race. Many times, it seemed as if Kansas City Royals hitters were trying to muscle up to compete with their opponents.

Instead, if the KC Royals are going to turn things around in the second half, they need to remember the identity that won them two straight American League pennants.

Next: A Second Crooked Inning

4) Royals Needed Another Crooked Inning To Take Control

Danny Duffy gave up one run in the first inning, plus a two run home run to Ian Kinsler in the third inning to put the Tigers back in the game at 5-3. The KC Royals re-established control with a three-run frame in the top of the fifth inning. Again, it was another death of a thousand cuts rally instead of one fueled by big blows. 

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Cheslor Cuthbert got the party started with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch by Detroit reliever Dustin Mollecken. Christian Colon singled to score Cuthbert and advanced to second on the throw home. Jarrod Dyson shot a single to right to score Colon. The Tigers should have caught Dyson with a pickoff, but he outran the throw to steal second. Alcides Escobar’s ground ball to short allowed Dyson to advance to third, and Hosmer singled to drive in Dyson.

Kendrys Morales grounded into a double play, but the Kansas City Royals had already taken control of the game with an 8-3 lead.

The two keep the line moving rallies put up seven runs, which pretty much determined the outcome of Saturday’s game.

Let’s just hope with Lorenzo Cain‘s immanent return that the KC Royals can get back to style of play that turned them into champions. If the starting pitching can come around, the Kansas City Royals will have gone a long way toward fixing many of the problems that plagued them in the first half of 2016.

Next: Danny Duffy

2) Alcides Escobar Returns To Leadoff Spot

With Whit Merrifield getting a break Saturday night at second base, manager Ned Yost moved shortstop Alcides Escobar back to the lead-off spot. I must confess, this sign that Yost still thinks of Escobar as a viable no. 1 hitter drives me nuts.

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What’s scary is that the KC Royals might go on a hot streak with Escobar batting lead-off and have Yost once again decide he brings some voodoo to the no. 1 position. Even with some recent success, Escobar still has a .287 on base percentage, which is awful any way you cut it.

Of course, Escobar got on base twice Saturday night going 1 for 4 with a walk. With the Royals scoring eight runs and winning the game, I’m pretty scared to see the lineup card come Sunday. Escobar might find himself back in the lead-off spot once again.

Oh, the joys of cheering for a team managed by Ned Yost.

I guess Kansas City Royals fans will just have to think about those two consecutive AL pennants instead of thinking about Yost’s lineup construction. I mean it’s freaking crystal clear that Escobar is a bottom of the lineup kind of guy. His career .297 OBP would make that obvious to everyone but Ned Yost.

Next: Wade Davis

1) Wade Davis Sighting On Saturday

Though it wasn’t a save situation with the Kansas City Royals up 8-4, Ned Yost got Wade Davis right into action after the team activated him from the 15-day disabled list on Saturday. Davis looked like his vintage self, holding the Tigers scoreless in the ninth inning with one strikeout. Davis lowered his ERA to 1.19 on the season.

Hey, maybe Davis can get his ERA back under 1.00 and have three seasons in a row with a 1.00 ERA or better. Wade Davis would be the first reliever in major-league history to pull off that feat.

Friday night’s blown save by Luke Hochevar shows just how much the menacing presence of Davis on the back end of the Kansas City bullpen means to the Royals. Had Davis been available, Hochevar probably only pitches the sixth inning, and gives way to Joakim Soria in the seventh. Kelvin Herrera and Davis would have been slated to finish out the eighth and ninth innings.

Next: KC Royals Next Two Weeks Most Crucial Of The Season

I can’t say lacking Wade Davis cost the KC Royals a game on Friday, but it sure didn’t help.