Going into this experience, I figured the highlight would be seeing Zack Greinke’s first game at the K since he went to the Brewers a year or two ago. Who would have thought that the Royals would actually provide most of the highlights?
The game got off to a roaring start. Either home plate umpire Bill Miller was calling a narrow strike zone, or Greinke was deliberately working around the edges and just not getting the calls. He ran the count full on lead-off hitter Alex Gordon, then served up what must have been the perfect hitter’s pitch. Not exactly known for his home run prowess, Gordon smacked a no-doubter over the center field fence.
Unfazed, Greinke struck out the next two batters and got Eric Hosmer (who had a less-than-sterling night at the plate) to ground out. He went on to throw six more scoreless innings. Though he gave up a hit here and there, the Royals didn’t get any serious offense together until the sixth. Chris Getz singled and Billy Butler batted him around to third (playing a solid hit and run), but both runners ended up stranded.
Sadly for the Brewers’ ace, the visitors also struggled at the plate. Luis Mendoza made his first start in awhile; he’d been in the bullpen, but thanks to injuries he’s now part of our rotation. And he was outstanding. Other than a walk in the second and a hit batter in the fourth, he was perfect through six.
Of course he was helped in no small part by some really great plays. In the top of the second Mike Moustakas made a diving stop of a hard-hit grounder by Aramis Ramirez. Then he got to his feet and threw the runner out. Then in the fourth Gordon ran down a fly ball that looked like a sure hit. He even came close to throwing out Norichika Aoki scrambling back to first. And when the next batter also hit one deep to left, Aoki considered tagging but then thought better of it. Then Getz and Alcides Escobar pulled off a tricky play on a grounder down the middle to end the inning.
Then in the seventh things got interesting. Ryan Braun led off with a hard grounder down the third base line. Moustakas fielded it, but perhaps he was a little to anxious to make the throw from deep in the corner. He didn’t get his back foot planted firmly enough, and the throw went wide. By the end of the play, Mendoza’s no hitter was gone, the Royals hung two errors on the board (one of which I missed thanks to the bigfeets standing in front of me) and Braun was at third.
Mendoza walked the next batter, and Ned Yost brought in Aaron Crow. At the time I was concerned about our starter, who was only at 74 pitches. However, he was fine. Yost wanted him to throw a short start and probably wouldn’t have left him in that long if not for the no hitter thing.
Unlike Aoki, Braun must have missed the memo about Gordon’s arm. When Taylor Green flew out to shallow left, he tagged and ran. I understand that when the visiting team is trailing by one in the late innings they have to take some risks. But the play at the plate wasn’t even all that close. Sadly, Rickie Weeks – a .170-ish hitter who gave the Royals trouble all night – doubled to end the shut out.
Greg Holland came in for the top of the eighth. He seemed to be having some kind of difficulty, because just about every pitch required a mound conference with Humberto Quintero and various infielders. Somehow he managed to get out of it.
The Brewers also brought in relief in the eighth, and it ended up costing them. Gordon led off with a single, Getz bunted him to second and Butler singled him in.
But Jonathan Broxton must have decided we hadn’t had quite enough excitement yet. Ramirez led off the ninth with a single, and the Brewers busted out the pinch runners and hitters. They made it as far as third but no farther.
As if the game itself wasn’t enough fun – and it was – we also got a rare treat. In the bottom of the second the stadium’s sound system died and didn’t come back until the top of the fourth. How wonderful the quiet was! We’ve all gotten used to ignoring the chatter and racket as best we can, so I was surprised at just how nice it was to have it gone for an inning or so.
The box score: BREWERS (1) AT ROYALS (2) BREWERS AB R H BI ROYALS AB R H BI Corey Hart 4 0 1 0 Alex Gordon 4 2 2 1 Norichika Aoki 3 0 0 0 Chris Getz 3 0 1 0 Ryan Braun 4 0 1 0 Billy Butler 4 0 2 1 Aramis Ramirez 3 1 1 0 Eric Hosmer 4 0 0 0 Taylor Green 4 0 0 0 Jeff Francoeur 4 0 2 0 Rickie Weeks 3 0 2 1 Mike Moustakas 4 0 1 0 Cody Ransom 3 0 0 0 Alcides Escobar 3 0 1 0 George Kottaras 1 0 0 0 Jarrod Dyson 3 0 0 0 Martin Maldonado 3 0 0 0 Humberto Quintero 3 0 0 0 Brooks Conrad 1 0 0 0 Nyjer Morgan 2 0 0 0 TOTALS 31 1 5 1 TOTALS 32 2 9 2 BREWERS 000 000 100 -- 1 ROYALS 100 000 01x -- 2 LOB--BREWERS 7, ROYALS 7. ERR--Eric Hosmer. 2B--Rickie Weeks, Alex Gordon, Mike Moustakas. HR--Alex Gordon. HBP--Norichika Aoki. SACB--Chris Getz. SB--Carlos Gomez. BREWERS IP H R ER BB SO HR Zack Greinke 7 6 1 1 0 8 1 Francisco Rodriguez 1 3 1 1 0 1 0 ROYALS Luis Mendoza 6 1 1 1 2 4 0 Aaron Crow 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Greg Holland 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 Jonathan Broxton 1 2 0 0 0 2 0 SO--Corey Hart (2), George Kottaras, Cody Ransom (2), Martin Maldonado, Taylor Green (2), Humberto Quintero, Jeff Francoeur, Billy Butler (2), Chris Getz, Jarrod Dyson, Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas (2). BB--Nyjer Morgan, Aramis Ramirez, Rickie Weeks. Buck seat: W-- (golf tournament organizer) Guard: Truman library rangers Anthem: High school choir Umpires: H: Miller 1: Scott 2: Iassogna 3: Bucknor Time: 7:10 Temp: 81
No comments:
Post a Comment