An Ugly Night In New York

It turned out to be an ugly night for Kansas City as hopes for a .500 record slip away for at least a couple of days. There is some, but not a ton of analysis associated with an 8-1 beat down, so instead I offer my real time notes on the game.

First Inning

Alex Gordon and Alcides Escobar both swing at Ivan Nova curveballs that dive into the dirt for strike three. Nova, however, leaves a couple of curves up to Eric Hosmer and Billy Butler to allow back to back singles. Mike Moustakas is unable to get a two out hit because, well, he just does not do that.

In the bottom of the inning, Wade Davis has the pace of a sloth or a snail or a grandma or my kids when I say 'hurry up'.

It crosses my mind, with runners on second and third, that Travis Hafner has snapped more than one guy in two in his lifetime. As that thought is in my mind, Wade Davis buries a pitch in the dirt, scoring Brett Gardner. However, the Yankees apparently have watched Major League recently and attempted to score Ichiro as well (Willie Mays Hayes style). George Kotteras, after pushing Wade Davis out of the way, did an outstanding job of blocking the plate to get the out.

Second Inning

Lorenzo Cain is robbed of a double by Cruz at third base. I am not sure Cain is a good player (although I think he has a chance to be), but he is cool.

After Nunez (when is the last time you could not name the full names of guys playing for the Yankees off the top of your head?) fields an infield fly on Robinson Cano's side of second, Cano says something, crosses his arm and laughs about it as well. Not sure if Cano was really mad or joking around. I am sure that Robinson Cano is a little bit weird.

After a rough first, Wade Davis comes back to strike out both Almonto (Zoilo!) and Lyle Overbay in the bottom of the second. Is anyone under 40 other than Overbay named Lyle?

Third Inning

Rex and Ryan are talking about sabremetrics between batters. Luckily, my son had a t-ball game that caused me to watch the first four innings on DVR and I can fast forward through it all before my ears start to bleed.

Boom! Robinson Cano with a two out three run homer to deep left center. He may be weird, but he is good.

Fourth Inning

Ivan Nova enjoys an eight pitch fourth inning.

Wade Davis tops out at 95 mph this inning.

Fifth Inning

With two outs in the fifth, I write that Kansas City has seemingly no clue versus Nova. That is immediately followed by a Johnny Giavotella single up the middle, followed by another hard single by George Kotteras (not a lot of people being named George anymore, either...or Clark for that matter).

Alex Gordon walks and Ned Yost's favorite number two hitter, Alcides Escobar, comes to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. Yes, that keeps working out doesn't it? Pop up. Inning over.

In the bottom of the fifth, we spend a good deal of time looking at the mitten Brett Gardner wears on his hand. I understand the mitten (and YES, it's a MITTEN!), but it still makes me snicker.

Sixth Inning

I am not in love with Wade Davis coming out for the sixth inning. I get the logic - and the Royals don't feel like a team about to make up a four run deficit - but Davis is not exactly cruising.

After a Cano single, he steals second. The Davis/Kotteras combo is not a deterrent to thievery on the bases.

Vernon Wells singles as a pinch hitter in the sixth. Luckily, we are to the part of New York's lineup that contains players we don't know and the only American (or is he Canadian) under fifty named Lyle.

Zoilo Almonte walks and Davis is at 97 pitches. Okay, why are we not removing Wade at this point?!!!

Davis goes to 2-2 on Overbay, who promptly fouls off ball three and four. Finally, Lyle lays off a ball in the dirt and the count goes full with the bases loaded and NO ONE OUT. Davis throws what appears to be another ball, Overbay sings. Grand Slam. Game officially over without the Royals bullpen ever having a say in it.

This did not happen in a hurry and Ned Yost had a chance to bring in a reliever well before Lyle Overbay put the ball over the wall.

Crap, I have the recap and actually have to watch the rest of this game.

Seventh Inning

The Royals go 1-2-3 in the top of the inning.

In the bottom of the frame, facing J.C. Gutierrez, Robinson Cano is thrown out by Lorenzo Cain trying to stretch an almost home run double into a triple (do the math).

Vernon Wells singles. He is 2-2. Vernon Freaking Wells is 2-2.

Eighth Inning

Hosmer gets his second opposite field hit of the night, driving in the previously walked Escobar. Well the Royals won't be shut out.

We get a Louis Coleman appearance in the bottom of the inning. Coleman greats Nunez with a three pitch strikeout. As a right-handed hitter, I would not enjoy facing Louis. Coleman strikes out the side. Maybe the strike zone was expanded, maybe the Yankees had some dinner reservations to make, but it was still impressive.

Ninth Inning

Yeah, like you watched it, either.

Day game tomorrow. Three out of four would still be a successful trip to the Bronx.