Clutch hitting gives Royals series win over Orioles, as Mondesi, Duffy return from IL
The Royals’ rubber match woes were finally subverted, at least for a day.
With a series win hanging in the balance, they’d been just 1-12 this season and hadn’t claimed a decisive victory in that scenario since June 13. They’d been in a 10-series winless drought.
They managed to buck those recent trends and end their series on a high note with a seventh-inning rally that turned the weekend around.
With two outs and a runner in the seventh, Royals veteran left fielder Alex Gordon lined an RBI double into the left-center field gap to drive in the tying run, and two batters later, following a Cheslor Cuthbert pinch-hit walk, rookie catcher Meibrys Viloria singled up the middle to drive in the go-ahead run.
Those two hits put the Royals on the path to just their second win this season in a rubber match, and Whit Merrifield added an eighth-inning solo home run as they collected a 6-4 victory Sunday afternoon over the Baltimore Orioles in front of an announced 18,208 at Kauffman Stadium.
The Royals (49-89) took the final two games of the series as they head into an off day Monday.
Viloria, who also had two hits, came through in a crucial situation for the second game in a row. His bunt single Saturday night started a two-run eighth inning that led to a two-run win.
“That’s a part of the game, to be comfortable in tight situations,” Viloria said.
After Gordon’s double in the seventh off of left-handed reliever Paul Fry, Royals manager Ned Yost pinch-hit for left-handed hitting first baseman Ryan O’Hearn in order to force Orioles manager Brandon Hyde to bring in a right-handed reliever.
Hyde obliged, and Cuthert’s walk gave Viloria a key at-bat.
“Yeah, that was good for me,” Viloria said. “I have struggled a little bit against lefties. I saw the righty; that’s a moment for me. I was just looking for a fastball and to get it to the outfield. Finally I did it. And we won the game.”
Fresh off an extended stay on the injured list, Royals shortstop Adalberto Mondesi went 4 for 5 with two runs scored, and he stole three bases in a game for just the second time in his career. He played his first game since suffering a left shoulder subluxation on July 16.
Hunter Dozier had two hits, including a double, and drove in two runs. Merrifield’s home run was his 16th of the season.
Left-hander Danny Duffy pitched 6 1/3 innings in his first start since Aug. 3. The Royals activated Duffy from the injured list prior to the game. He’d been sidelined for nearly a month with a left hamstring strain.
Duffy allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits and one walk. He struck out three and did not factor in the decision. The Orioles (45-91) scored three runs in the first three innings, including a two-run third, which started with four consecutive hits.
Double plays in the third and sixth innings helped limit the damage against Duffy.
“My command was off early,” Duffy said. “I felt really good after we were kind of able to kind of repeat our delivery and get my foot down. It was really good. I thought I threw the ball really well today.”
The Royals bullpen has been beaten up this past week, a stretch that included two pitching appearances by Gordon and one by utility infielder Humberto Arteaga.
The Royals leaned heavily on right-handed reliever Kevin McCarthy. He pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings and allowed one hit and no walks to bridge the gap between Duffy and closer Ian Kennedy.
McCarthy worked around a leadoff double in the eighth and kept the Orioles from scoring.
Kennedy pitched a scoreless ninth on 13 pitches to record his 25th save of the season.
“I felt Mac was going to get us through,” Yost said. “You notice I didn’t have anybody up. I have a lot of confidence in Mac with his sinker and his changeup, that I thought we were in a good spot in the order where he would be able to maneuver through it, even with the double. ... Mac did a great job.”
Following a day off, the Royals will start a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers at Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday. Royals left-hander Mike Montgomery (3-7, 4.66) and Tigers left-hander Daniel Norris (3-11, 4.66) are the scheduled starting pitchers.
This story was originally published September 1, 2019 at 4:18 PM with the headline "Clutch hitting gives Royals series win over Orioles, as Mondesi, Duffy return from IL."
