Game 15 vs. Houston

Now this was a little more like it, especially compared to the last one.

Both Danny Duffy and Astros’ starter Scott Feldman threw outstanding games. This was one of those contests where it seemed like any scoring opportunity, no matter how small, could be the single deciding factor in the game.

So when Jose Altuve singled to start the sixth and then came around to score on a double by Marwin Gonzalez, it honestly felt like that might be it. But then in the bottom of the seventh we scraped together a little offense of our own and tied it up.

Which ended up taking it to extras. At that point I was beyond tired (I rowed in the Sunflower State Games earlier in the day) and Amy spent a chunk of the day at work. So it came as quite a relief when Paulo Orlando singled in the bottom of the tenth, stole second and came around to score on another single by Alcides Escobar.

Beyond that the game was primarily notable for replay appeals, none of which went Houston’s way.

ASTROS (1) AT ROYALS (2)

ASTROS               AB  R  H BI  ROYALS               AB  R  H BI
Jose Altuve           4  1  2  0  Alcides Escobar       5  1  2  1  
Marwin Gonzalez       4  0  2  0  Mike Moustakas        4  0  1  0  
Carlos Correa         3  0  0  1  Kendrys Morales       4  0  1  0  
Evan Gattis           4  0  0  0  Eric Hosmer           3  0  1  0  
Preston Tucker        4  0  1  0  Salvador Perez        2  0  0  1  
Chris Carter          4  0  0  0  Alex Rios             4  0  0  0  
Colby Rasmus          3  0  0  0  Omar Infante          4  0  0  0  
Hank Conger           3  0  0  0  Paulo Orlando         4  1  2  0  
Jake Marisnick        3  0  0  0  Jarrod Dyson          4  0  0  0  
TOTALS               32  1  5  1  TOTALS               34  2  7  2

ASTROS                        000 001 000 0 -- 1  
ROYALS                        000 000 100 1 -- 2  

LOB--ASTROS 3, ROYALS 6. ERR--Preston Tucker. 2B--Marwin
Gonzalez, Kendrys Morales. 3B--Eric Hosmer. SACF--Carlos
Correa, Salvador Perez. SB--Paulo Orlando.

 ASTROS                          IP    H    R   ER   BB   SO   HR
Scott Feldman                  7.67    4    1    1    1    2    0
Pat Neshek                     1.00    1    0    0    0    1    0
Will Harris                    1.00    2    1    1    1    0    0
 ROYALS                     
Danny Duffy                    6.33    3    1    1    1    3    0
Ryan Madson                    0.67    0    0    0    0    1    0
Wade Davis                     1.00    0    0    0    0    1    0
Greg Holland                   1.00    1    0    0    0    1    0
Kelvin Herrera                 1.00    1    0    0    0    0    0

SO--Colby Rasmus, Evan Gattis, Jake Marisnick (3), Preston
Tucker, Kendrys Morales, Alcides Escobar, Eric Hosmer.
BB--Colby Rasmus, Eric Hosmer, Salvador Perez.

Game 14 vs. Toronto

This one was as terrible as the last one was great. Both teams seemed to be slouching their way into the All Star break. Normally this would mean time off for pretty much our whole team, but this year we actually have a significant presence going to the game. Voted in and everything.

Back here, however, the game was awful. Both teams were plagued by lackluster hitting, fielding errors and a general minor-league approach to the sport.

Nor was the weather cooperative. It was both hot and rainy, not a good combination when we were expected at Kulture Kurry for an anniversary dinner after the game. I finally got so disgusted with the damp and the sucking that I quit keeping score in the sixth inning, something I’ve never done before.

Game 13 vs. Tampa Bay

This was what we’ve come to hope for – if not exactly expect – from our team. We got off to a great start and then held on for the rest of the game.

The fun got started in the top of the first when Jarrod Dyson – subbing for Alex Gordon in left – made a spectacular, run-saving catch at the wall and then fired it in swiftly enough to pick off the runner at first for a double play.

Then in the bottom of the inning Lorenzo Cain hit a three-run blast that set the tone for the rest of the game. The Rays briefly rallied in the fifth, but we regained the lost runs in the bottom of the inning and cruised into the finish.

Because this was a rare Thursday day game, I don’t have stats (the iPad is unusable in bright sunlight).

Game 12 vs. Minnesota

This was an almost surreal blend of the Old Royals and the New Royals.

For much of the game the guys played like the hapless team we’d gotten used to over the course of three decades. Though the Twins weren’t exactly mounting major offense, somehow we never seemed to catch a break against them. Un-thrilling moments included two errors in one inning by players (Mike Moustakas and Omar Infante) who really shouldn’t have. Then in the bottom of the ninth a MLB-premiere rookie pinch running for Sal Perez got stuck in a run-down. Sigh.

But then somehow the Spirit of the Postseason re-entered the ballpark in the bottom of the tenth. Lorenzo Cain – sorry, make that 2014 ALCS MVP Lorenzo Cain – hit a lead-off double, advanced to third on a wild pitch and then barely beat the tag at the plate on a weak single by designated hitter Jarrod Dyson.

Paul Molitor’s appeal was the second of the game, both of which went the Royals’ way. Nothing like a game that ends twice.

We also stayed for the fireworks after the game.

TWINS (2) AT ROYALS (3)

TWINS                AB  R  H BI  ROYALS               AB  R  H BI
Brian Dozier          5  0  0  0  Alcides Escobar       2  0  1  0  
Torii Hunter          4  0  1  0  Mike Moustakas        5  0  0  0  
Joe Mauer             3  0  0  0  Lorenzo Cain          4  2  3  1  
Trevor Plouffe        4  0  0  0  Eric Hosmer           5  0  0  0  
Eddie Rosario         4  1  1  0  Kendrys Morales       4  0  2  1  
Miguel Sano           4  1  2  1   Jarrod Dyson         1  0  1  1  
Kurt Suzuki           4  0  0  0  Alex Gordon           4  0  0  0  
Eduardo Escobar       4  0  1  0  Salvador Perez        4  0  1  0  
Aaron Hicks           3  0  0  1  Alex Rios             4  1  2  0  
                                  Omar Infante          3  0  1  0  
TOTALS               35  2  5  2  TOTALS               36  3 11  3

TWINS                         010 010 000 0 -- 2  
ROYALS                        001 000 010 1 -- 3  

LOB--TWINS 5, ROYALS 10. ERR--Omar Infante, Mike Moustakas.
2B--Eddie Rosario, Miguel Sano, Kendrys Morales, Lorenzo
Cain. SACF--Aaron Hicks. SACB--Omar Infante, Alcides
Escobar. SB--Lorenzo Cain.

 TWINS                           IP    H    R   ER   BB   SO   HR
Tommy Milone                   6.00    5    1    1    2    5    0
Blaine Boyer                   1.00    0    0    0    0    0    0
Casey Fien                     1.00    2    1    1    0    0    0
Ryan Pressly                   0.33    2    0    0    1    0    0
Aaron Thompson                 1.00    2    1    1    0    1    0
 ROYALS                     
Jeremy Guthrie                 7.33    5    2    2    1    4    0
Ryan Madson                    0.67    0    0    0    0    1    0
Greg Holland                   1.00    0    0    0    0    2    0
Wade Davis                     1.00    0    0    0    0    0    0

WP--Aaron Thompson. SO--Joe Mauer, Trevor Plouffe, Brian
Dozier, Eddie Rosario (2), Miguel Sano (2), Kendrys Morales,
Alex Gordon (2), Eric Hosmer (2), Salvador Perez. BB--Joe
Mauer, Alcides Escobar (2), Lorenzo Cain.