Robbie Ray razes Royals, Seattle sweeps series

Within the newest Battle for Grass Creek, the Royals have been unable to provide you with clutch hits and fell 5-4 in 12 innings, finishing the sweep. This was simply the twenty third recreation to go at the least 12 innings for the reason that further inning runner rule was carried out in 2020. It was additionally the longest performed by the Royals since a 12-inning win over Seattle final yr on August twenty seventh.

This had the potential to be a fantastic matchup for the Royals offense. Robbie Ray, the reigning AL Cy Younger winner, had been struggling in his first season in Seattle. In his first three begins, he pitched to a 5.67 FIP, and his fastball velocity was down from 94.8 mph final yr to 92.1 in 2022.

Early on, Carlos Hernandez continued a worrying pattern of giving up a ton of arduous contact. After permitting 10 arduous hit balls in his final begin towards Minnesota (outlined by Statcast as batted balls with 95+ mph exit velocity), he allowed a tough line drive on his first pitch to Adam Frazier for a leadoff single within the 1st. Two pitches later, he hung a breaking ball to the pink scorching Ty France and he crushed it over the fence in left to offer Seattle a 2-0 lead. That was France’s second consecutive homer and sixth consecutive hit after his 5-5 effort in Saturday’s recreation. Hernandez managed to settle in after the dinger, setting down the following seven Mariners batters with three of them taking place on strikes.

Ray retired six of the primary seven batters over the primary two innings, with the lone blemish being a two-out double from Salvador Perez. The Royals managed to get on the board within the third. After a leadoff stroll to Michael A. Taylor, Cam Gallagher roped a ball to left. It banged off the wall and, because of some characteristically poor protection from Jesse Winker, allowed Taylor to attain simply and Gallagher to cruise into second base with a double. Ray then struck out Whit Merrifield and threw out Gallagher at second on a bouncer from Edward Olivares. Up got here Perez with two outs and he got here by with one other double off Ray to attain Olivares and tie the sport 2-2. Within the backside of the body, following a one-out stroll to Frazier, France lined a single to proper for his seventh consecutive hit. Hernandez shortly retired Winker and Eugenio Suarez to finish the menace.

The pitching took management within the center innings. Within the 4th and fifth innings, the offenses mixed for simply two baserunners. In case anyone was nonetheless unsure about Bobby Witt Jr.’s protection, examine this out:

After a fast high of the sixth, Seattle received to Hernandez within the backside of the inning. After a mushy lineout into the shift by Winker, Suarez and J.P. Crawford smoked back-to-back doubles to offer the Mariners a 3-2 lead. A blooper that dropped in entrance of Hunter Dozier in proper discipline off the bat of Abraham Toro moved Crawford to 3rd and chased Hernandez from the sport. Collin Snider changed him on the mound to face Julio Rodriguez. Rodriguez smoked an 84 mph slider proper at Adalberto Mondesi that resulted in a double play to finish the inning.

Matthew Festa changed Ray on the mound to start out the seventh inning. He promptly walked Mondesi on 4 pitches (Mondesi now has 4 walks on the season and is on tempo for 35 walks, which might destroy his earlier profession excessive of 19. He’s turned a nook!). He simply stole second after which superior to 3rd on a flyout by Witt. Festa fanned Taylor and retired Gallagher on a flyball to proper to snuff the menace.

Amir Garrett and Scott Barlow stored the Mariners offense quiet within the seventh and eighth, however the Royals lineup was additionally unable to muster any offense because the Royals trailed 3-2 going into the ninth inning. Carlos Santana led off the inning with a flyout towards Mariners reliever Drew Steckenrider. Up stepped Dozier. He spat on a low curveball earlier than turning round a 93 mph fastball that caught approach an excessive amount of of the plate, depositing it over the fence in heart for a game-tying dinger. Steckenrider attacked the following batter, Mondesi, with a flurry of changeups and caught him on the lookout for the second out. Witt smacked a damaged bat single into heart to place the go-ahead run on base, however Taylor was then retired on a pleasant operating seize by Rodriguez on the monitor in heart to finish the inning.

Josh Staumont took the mound for the underside of the ninth and surrendered a leadoff single to Rodriguez to place the profitable run on base. Staumont rang up Jarred Kelenic on a curveball within the filth (with the assistance of a questionable name on a checked swing). Cal Raleigh struck out swinging for the second out as Rodriguez stole second. Frazier hit a tapper again to Staumont that he booted, however he was capable of get better in time and flip the ball to Santana at first for the third out. Seattle challenged, however the name stood, sending the sport to extras.

Taylor started the tenth inning at second and Andrew Benintendi pinch-hit for Gallagher towards Seattle reliever Diego Castillo. Benintendi smacked a groundball slightly below the glove of Frazier, bringing residence Taylor and giving Kansas Metropolis their first lead of the sport. Following a strikeout by Merrifield, Nicky Lopez pinch-hit for Olivares and grounded a single by the fitting facet of the infield. Benintendi took the flip at second however was gunned down by a powerful throw from Kelenic to 3rd base for an enormous second out. Toro made a pleasant play on a groundball to retire Perez, ending the inning.

Taylor Clarke took the mound to shut out the Mariners within the backside of the tenth. Ty France led off the inning and, cease me in case you’ve heard this one earlier than, smoked a single up the center, transferring the tying run to 3rd. Winker battled for 11 pitches earlier than sending a flyball to heart that scored Frazier, tying the sport. Clarke retired Suarez and Crawford; on to the eleventh!

The Royals couldn’t contact famous celebrity reliever Matt Koch within the eleventh, with Santana, Dozier, and Mondesi taking place so as. Dylan Coleman took the mound needing to strand zombie runner Crawford at second base. In a 9-pitch battle, Coleman struck out Toro main off the inning on a checked swing for an enormous first out. With Rodriguez within the field, Coleman despatched a 1-0 slider to the backstop, transferring the profitable run to 3rd base. After one other breaking ball within the filth, they despatched Rodriguez to first, citing Kelenic. Happily, he determined to swing at each pitch and struck out on 4 pitches. The following batter, Raleigh, walked on 4 pitches to load the bases. Do or die, and Coleman did, retiring Frazier on a groundout to ship the sport to the twelfth.

After a popup to start out the inning, the Royals loaded the bases with consecutive walks by Taylor and Ryan O’Hearn. But as soon as once more, the Royals have been unable to interrupt by as Merrifield and Nicky Lopez struck out to finish the inning. Joel Payamps got here out to pitch the twelfth. They needed no a part of France, sending him straight to first base and citing Winker. Winker battled for yet one more 11-pitch at bat earlier than muscling a damaged bat single into shallow proper to attain Frazier, strolling off the Royals and finishing the sweep.

The Royals are 5-9 and have but to win a highway recreation this season. They are going to have the time off tomorrow earlier than touring to Chicago for a three-game set towards the White Sox.

Carlos Hernandez: 5.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 Okay

Robbie Ray: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 Okay

Salvador Perez: 2-5, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 2 Okay

Ty France: 3-5, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 IBB