:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/16645579/20130719_sal_sm8_082.0.jpg)
Men love to rally around a leader. Whether its General George Patton or Bobby Knight, men rally around a leader they respect when that leader has his neck on the line. Tonight, it was the Royals who stood on their desks and shouted "O captain, my captain" in defense of their beleaguered leader Dayton Moore. Detroit, you have a freight train coming for you.
Ervin Santana was brilliant, which would be great news if the Royals were a smart club intent on trading him while his value is high. Santana gave up just two hits over seven plus innings. The Tigers sent a few flyballs to the warning track, but apparently Kauffman Stadium is even too spacious for them. Santana struck out six and walked just one in his shutout performance. This is the thirteenth start this year Ervin has gone seven or more innings. Under Dayton Moore, pitchers have only exceeded this number five times. Three were by Zack Greinke (2008-2010). Gil Meche in 2007 and Luke Hochevar in 2011 are the others.
The Royals managed just five hits themselves. Four came against Detroit starter Anibal Sanchez, a popular choice on this website for the Royals to have targeted last winter in free agency. Sanchez lowered his ERA to 2.85 for the year, but giving up a first inning run on an RBI single by Billy Butler was enough to give him his seventh loss this year. Clearly, he lacked THE WILL TO WIN.
Guys, fifteen wins in twenty games began tonight. Are you as excited as I am?