Royals edge Diamondbacks 2-1

It’s time for the second annual “You Be The Star” recap! This game summary comes direct from you, our wonderful and gifted commentariat (is that even a word?).

(ed note: While it seems like this is the easy way out, frankly, it’s just as quick to write a recap as to go through the thread, pick out good quotes, try to balance them between people, and format them to make a mostly coherent recap.)

It’s farewell weekend as the current Royals era is coming to a close. The team has little to play for except draft position and pride (a sweep gets them to a fifth consecutive .500 or better season). Manager Ned Yost has said he is going to play Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Lorenzo Cain, and Alcides Escobar all three games. Fans will get a chance to cheer for the championship core of the team one last time. Seriously, if you get a chance to go to any of the games this weekend: do it.

Former Diamondback Ian Kennedy faced off against an old friend, former Royal, Zack Greinke.

Ryan Heffernon (in the game thread intro):

On December 20, 2010 the Royals traded disgruntled former Cy Young award winner Zack Greinke for Alcides Escobar, Lorenzo Cain, Jake Odorizzi and Jeremy Jeffress.

We all know, of course, of the contributions made by Escobar and Cain in route to a World Series championship in 2015, but it is also worth remembering that Odorizzi helped the Royals net James Shields and Wade Davis when he was packaged with Wil Myers in another blockbuster trade back in 2012.

JL KC: ...It would be a sublimely appropriate coda to the 2017 Royals if Ian Kennedy were to outduel Zack Greinke in his last start of the year, following postseason elimination.

The Royals got four hits in the first, but only scored one run.

clayfro: grienke bitten by babip fairy

Did I mention Ian Kennedy was pitching for the Royals?

Will work for playoff wins: who gets the first HR off Kennedy tonight? I’ll go Lamb

{the peanut gallery}: DING DING DING // we have a winner // winner winner chicken dinner // Nice

Leading off the third, Whit untied the game.

pete_clarf: Hmmm, Whit might get to 20!

AnusOtis: #WhitPower

The score remained the same in the middle innings.

Red_Seven: 157!

thehopper: Number of days before Spring Training starts?

Daloath: Home runs Kennedy has allowed this year.

Red_Seven: League leading double plays grounded into. I have faith they can get it up to 1/game by the end of the season!

Without much going on, it was random observation time

glovehat: He's {Greinke's} a lot grunty. I don’t remember grunts.

Royalsfangirl: I know other teams probably wear road greys at Kauffman Stadium, but Arizona’s look positively grim.

wichitaroyalsfan: Nice to see Marlins Man at a Royals game again!

By the end of the 5th, both Grienke and Kennedy were done and it became a bullpen game.

thehopper: Announcer: "Kennedy's first one [two] three inning". Fans: "This year?"

JL KC: When your $206M pitcher starts the fifth inning by walking Alex Gordon and Drew Butera back-to-back

Royalsfangirl : yeah he might be done for the night.

Both offenses continued to flounder into the late innings.

buddyball: and a Melky GIDP

JL KC: *long whistly fart*

sterlingice: Cool. The opposition can ground into double plays, too

wichitaroyalsfan: I like it a lot more when they GIDP on us!

Herrera (7th), Soria (8th), and Minor (9th) finished off the Diamondbacks

wichitaroyalsfan: Ian with his first win at the K since August... of last year. If that doesn’t explain the season in a nutshell I don’t know what else does.

Royalsfangirl: LET'S GO ROYALS! Be .500!

All credit goes to BlitzAce71

The Royals are now 79-81. Just two more games to go in the regular season. Tomorrow evening is Fan Appreciation Night as Jake Junis faces Taijuan Walker.