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OAKLAND, Calif. — The script changed Sunday for the Royals, but not the ending as they concluded a three-game weekend pratfall in the East Bay with a 4-3 loss to the Oakland A’s.
While the Royals’ rotation is much improved over recent seasons, one run isn’t often going to be enough. It was Ervin Santana who paid the price Saturday night for failing to pitch a shutout in a 2-1 loss to the Oakland A’s.
James Shields continues to pitch like the No. 1 guy the Royals expected when they acquired him in that big off-season deal from Tampa Bay. And the Royals continue to waste his efforts. Shields gave up two runs Friday night in eight innings but only found more disappointment when the Royals’ attack again went quiet in a 2-1 loss to the Oakland A’s at the O.co Coliseum.
The Royals' outfield could be getting a new look as soon as Friday night. All signs point to the Royals putting outfielder Jarrod Dyson on the disabled list because of an ankle injury he suffered Wednesday at Anaheim when he climbed the wall attempting to catch a Mike Trout home run.
Increased playing time in recent games for Jarrod Dyson and Elliot Johnson stems primarily, Royals manager Ned Yost said, from a desire to ride a player’s hot streak.
A seven-run third inning and an eight-run lead and, still, it seemed like the Royals had to hang on all night Wednesday before securing a 9-5 victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
The news when it came Wednesday afternoon was surprising only in its suddenness. Those close to former Royals broadcaster Fred White knew he was terribly sick.
Albert Pujols, Howie Kendrick, Josh Hamilton and Mike Trout each homered as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Royals 6-2 on Tuesday night in Anaheim, Calif., ending Kansas City starter Jeremy Guthrie’s club-record streak of non-losing starts at 18.
Most encouraging, perhaps, for the Royals in their 11-4 victory Monday over the Los Angeles Angels was their season-high 19-hit attack, which included five from slumping Billy Butler — three singles and two doubles — that accounted for five RBIs. Alcides Escobar, Lorenzo Cain and Salvy Perez each added three hits.
Make no mistake, the Royals are in an early-May funk, and this is the kind of streak that looks familiar. The latest loss came on Sunday afternoon, a 4-2 setback against the Yankees that was the Royals’ sixth defeat in their last seven games.
This loss was more familiar, at least. For the most part, anyway.
Lyle Overbay had four hits and five RBIs as the Yankees pounded out 16 hits to beat the Royals 11-6 at Kaufmann Stadium.
The early returns from the Royals’ new-look lineup offered promise Thursday night by producing three home runs in a 6-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.
The good news, if you want to look hard enough, is that implosions like the Royals experienced Wednesday night in the fifth inning are now fairly rare.
The continuing battle with Mother Nature is beyond the Royals’ control, but they’d better find a way to fix a suddenly leaky bullpen after Tuesday’s 4-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.
Here’s the question, the one that hung over the Royals’ 2-1 loss to the White Sox in 11 innings on Monday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium: Should Royals manager Ned Yost have stuck with starter James Shields with a 1-0 lead in the ninth inning, instead of turning the game over to closer Greg Holland?
Alex Gordon hit a walk-off RBI single Sunday as the Royals rallied to beat the White Sox 6-5 in the 10th inning at Kauffman Stadium. Billy Butler hit a two-run double in the ninth inning to tie the game.
Jeremy Guthrie provided the Royals, after two days of rainouts, with a game worth waiting for Saturday night by pitching the first shutout of his career in a 2-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium.
Snow. That’s right, snow. In May.
The Royals fell into a five-run hole Wednesday night on two occasions before rallying and then holding on for a 9-8 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays at Kauffman Stadium. The victory boosted the Royals to 15-10 and back into first place in the American League Central Division.
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