What a lovely night. Aside from the considerations of late-inning drama and opponent, possibly the best Royals game of the year. In a way, at least offensively, it was akin to the way a team like Italy can play in soccer: 88 minutes of ineffectual play but with two minutes of world class brilliance that prove to be the difference.
- This is the kind of start from Greinke we've been dreaming about for... what... five years now? Seven innings plus, with eleven strikeouts and only one walk. Please, everyone, remember nights like this when Greinke is a Cub in two years.
- Jose Guillen was brutal afield, but made up for it with a much needed home run in the first. Sure, he struck out his next two times up, but who keeps track of things like that.
- Alex Gordon homered. Against a lefty. Cool. Perhaps it was being in the House That Eric Chavez Sometimes Inhabits that motivated him to conquer his platoon demons. Who knows...
- No strikeouts from Soria in the 9th, but another effortless display nonetheless. Although I remain in favor of converting him to starterdom, should that happen I'm going to miss his ninth inning performances. He's like, to use a Bill Simmons-ism, reading Bill Simmons pre-2004.