Royals Offense Listless in 4-0 Shutout Loss

Stop me if you've heard this one. The Royals got a decent pitching performance tonight, but had no offense to speak of and lost the game.

Its a recurring joke that's not funny.

The Royals got a yeoman's effort from Jeremy Guthrie - 8 innings of work, 8 hits allowed, 4 runs given up, despite just two strikeouts. That's pretty much what they signed up for when they re-signed him. Keep us in the game Jeremy.

But you see, the Royals are only "in the game" when its 0-0. This offense can NOT score. This was the twentieth game already this season where the Royals have scored three or fewer runs. Nori Aoki led off the bottom of the first with a double. AND THE ROYALS FAILED TO SCORE HIM. That would be their only extra base hit of the night. It is the tenth game this year where they've had one or less extra base hit. Its the thirteenth game where they've drawn one or less walk (thanks Mike Moustakas for drawing one of your rare base on balls).

Orioles starter Chris Tillman had failed to pitch into the seventh in four of his last five starts. Of course he pitched the second complete game of his career.  He needed just 117 pitches to mow down the Royals, who got just two runners in scoring position all night. He didn't even benefit from strikeouts (they're fascist!), instead relying on democratic groundouts and flyballs.

Guthrie pitched reasonably well tonight, but it was a sloppy fourth inning that did him in. A bunt single by Manny Machado turned into two bases on Guthrie's errant throw. A wild pitch would take Machado to third, and he would score on Nelson Cruz's RBI single. A Chris Davis solo home run in the eighth would seal the deal.

We did get to see Casey Coleman pitch a perfect ninth inning, so dropping Justin Maxwell was totally justified. Who needs more pop in the lineup when you have hitters like this?

Just pathetic offense. Why aren't fans rushing out to see this?