The Impossible Dream is Over - Royals Lose to White Sox

Eventually Joe DiMaggio finally quit hitting. Cal Ripken finally took a day off. Susan Lucci finally won a Daytime Emmy. All good streaks eventually come to an end, and our Royals finally snapped their seven game winning streak with a 10-5 loss to the White Sox Sunday afternoon. That sound you heard at about 1:15 was thousands of Chiefs fans turning the dial to WGN, where the Royals/White Sox tilt was airing, as the Chiefs season had effectively ended. There is plenty of room on this bandwagon Chiefs Nation. The final stop is the Plaza.

But today was a mere blip on the way to Mission 2012. The Royals hung tight for six innings, threatening to tie or take the lead in the fifth, sixth and seventh, but Jesse Chavezed it up in the eighth and things got out of hand in a hurry. 

John Danks didn't particularly pitch well, possibly lowering his chances of getting dealt to KC for Mitch Maier. He lasted six innings, giving up ten hits and four runs, while striking out as many hitters as I did from my couch. 

Chen pitched much the same way, going five innings plus, giving up nine hits and four runs, while striking out just two. Each team had fifteen hits, but it was the Sox who were actually able to hit it over the wall, as they hit three home runs that put the game out of reach.

Melky Cabrera stole his 20th base of the year, the fourth Royals player to reach that mark joining Alcides Escobar, Chris Getz and Jeff Francoeur. Only the 1978 Royals had more accomplished basestealers, with seven Royals reaching the 20 stolen base mark that year (Can you name them? Answer below.)

Last home series of the year this week. How will you celebrate? BY DESTROYING THE TIGERS OF COURSE.

Answer: George Brett, Al Cowens, Hal McRae, Amos Otis, Freddie Patek, Frank White, Jim Wohlford.