The Royals stranded runners. Yordano Ventura gave up homers and hits. The batters sleepwalked through the middle innings. The Royals trailed 7-1 going into the bottom of the ninth. The White Sox sent closer David Robertson to the mound. Paulo Orlando struck out for the first out.
And then all hell broke loose.
Frenzy Hitting
Cheslor Cuthbert singled up the middle. Brett Eibner hit his second career double on a ball lost in the sun by Adam Eaton. Omar Infante walked for the second time in the game. Alcides Escobar walked to bring in a run.
David Robertson stayed out there. Just getting his work in.
We’ve seen comebacks before. We saw one last night. The 2014 Wild Card Game. Game 4 in Houston. Game 2 against David Price in the ALCS. Games 4 and 5 in the World Series. This one was more improbable than any of those.
Because after the Escobar walk (talk about improbable), rookie Whit Merrifield drove in two on a hit that deflected off the pitcher. Escobar scored on a Lorenzo Cain grounder that got the force at second but left Cain safe at first.
At this point, that Royals Devil Magic feeling had to be creeping in. It was 7-5 and Eric Hosmer doubled in another run to make it 7-6. Ventura finally pulled Robertson, replacing him with rookie Tommy Kahnle. That set up Drew Butera – in the game only because of another collision that took out Salvador Perez – who, naturally, hit a double to score Hosmer and tie it up.
Robin Ventura panicked. He intentionally walked Paulo Orlando, but one pitch sailed away and Butera got to third. Orlando took second as Jarrod Dyson hit for Cuthbert (limping after the same collision that took Perez out of the game) and Ventura walked him to get a righty-righty matchup. Eibner came up for his second at bat of the inning and his ninth plate appearance in the majors.
On the tenth pitch, he singled past Jose Abreu at first. As Rusty Kuntz furiously waved at Eibner to ensure he touched first, Butera was scoring and the Royals were speeding out of the dugout to celebrate.
The Royals won 8-7. The seven run comeback in the ninth was their largest in team history. Alex Gordon and Mike Moustakas are on the DL. Sal Perez came out of the game. Three guys with rookie status and Drew Butera were major parts in a huge comeback. Just re-read all of the above to ensure it really happened, because I’d never believe anyone who would try to sell me on such silliness.
Strikeout – single – double – walk – RBI walk – two-run single – RBI fielder’s choice – RBI double – RBI double – intentional walk – intentional walk – walkoff RBI single. This happened.
The Royals are now tied with the White Sox in the AL Central and have their fifth straight series win.
In Other Developments
Ventura continued his perplexing season. After a relatively easy top of the first, he was worked over by the bottom of the White Sox lineup. In the second, he got two quick outs, then gave up three soft singles to each of Brett Lawrie, Alex Avila, and Avisail Garcia to allow the first run. Then, on an 0-2 count to Tyler Saladino, he hung a curveball on the inner half, belt high, and Saladino hit it into the Royals’ bullpen.
Two innings later, he left a changeup out over the plate and Garcia hit a two-run homer to left.
Ventura struck out four and walked none – his first start in 2016 without issuing a walk. He was throwing strikes, but they were getting hit. After five innings and 93 pitches, he went back out and worked a five-pitch sixth inning, then a seven-pitch seventh inning. Where was that guy the rest of the game?
Another Collision
The Royals haven’t had to deal with a lot of major injuries over the last couple of seasons, and when they did, it was usually one significant player down at a time. Last weekend, Mike Moustakas and Alex Gordon collided on a foul ball in Chicago and it landed Gordon on the DL until probably July and Moustakas is out for the year.
On Saturday, a foul ball on the third base side turned into another collision, as Perez and Cheslor Cuthbert both went after an Adam Eaton popup, but neither heard the other calling it and Cuthbert ran hard into Perez’s left leg (and you’ll remember that in 2012, Sal had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee). Perez was helped off the field by Ned Yost and trainer Nick Kenney. After the game, Ned Yost said that both Cuthbert and Perez have quad contusions. Neither should be long-term issues, but there could be DL moves for either or both, possibly before Sunday’s game if such moves are needed.
Up Next
The Royals get Chris Sale tomorrow and normally I’d be worried but at this point, maybe the Royals can do anything they want. They’ll look to Edinson Volquez to get the sweep. If they’re losing late, don’t turn the channel.