Sweeney swats pair; K.C. captures series
Kansas City, Mo. ? On pace for their third 100-loss season in four years, the Kansas City Royals keep playing well against tough opponents.
Mike Sweeney homered twice and drove in five runs, and Emil Brown hit a run-scoring single in the 13th inning as the Royals overcame a five-run deficit Wednesday to beat the Chicago White Sox, 6-5.
Jon Garland, trying to become the first 16-game winner in the major leagues, left with a 5-2 lead, but his bullpen couldn’t hold it, partly because of sloppy fielding.
“We faced probably one of top three pitchers in the American League in Garland,” Sweeney said. “When we got down five to nothing, I thought, man, it is going to be tough, but we can do it. We marched back and never quit. I can’t remember the last time we won a series against Chicago. We haven’t done that much.”
Kansas City's Emil Brown, left, is congratulated by teammate Mike Sweeney after Brown's game-winning hit. The Royals beat the Chicago White Sox, 6-5 in 13 innings, Wednesday in Kansas City, Mo.
Kansas City took two of three games in the series against the White Sox, whose 65-35 record is the best in the major leagues.
“This is the best club in baseball, and we beat (Mark) Buehrle and Garland back-to-back,” Royals manager Buddy Bell said. “It doesn’t really get any better than that.”
While the Royals are 38-63, the second-worst record in the AL ahead of only Tampa Bay (36-66), they also swept a three-game series from the New York Yankees from May 31 to June 2. Chicago had won the series opener 14-6 Monday.
“That was two great wins especially against them,” said David DeJesus, who scored the winning run. “They put it to us earlier this season. To come out after the first game, getting beat like the way we did, to come back with two games like this together definitely is a step in the right direction for us.”
Umpire Tim Timmons, right, talks to Kansas City manager Buddy Bell after the Chicago White Sox protested the game in the 12th inning. Chicago was miffed because K.C. reliever Shawn Camp wasn't on the lineup card. The Royals won, 6-5 in 13 innings, Wednesday in Kansas City, Mo.
The Royals got seven shutout innings from their bullpen, with Andrew Sisco pitching two innings, and Ambiorix Burgos, Mike MacDougal, Jeremy Affeldt, Nunez and Shawn Camp (1-2) each throwing one inning.
“That was huge,” Sweeney said. “I know a lot of teams are calling about some of our guns in the bullpen.
“If Allard is smart, he’ll keep them here,” he added, referring to general manager Allard Baird. “They showed us why they are so valuable.”
Shawn Camp (1-2), promoted Monday from Triple-A Omaha, pitched a perfect 13th. The White Sox protested the game because Camp was not listed on the lineup card.
“The right side of the card is a courtesy” for the reserves and the bullpen, Bell said. “Apparently, they don’t know the rules. The protest is a non-issue for me.”
With the score 5-all, DeJesus led off the 13th with a single off Luis Vizcaino (4-5), the seventh White Sox pitcher. DeJesus took second on Chip Ambres’ single. Sweeney’s single to center loaded the bases, and Brown ended the game with his third hit of the day.
Garland, who lowered his earned-run average to 3.09, gave up three runs – just one earned – and five hits in seven innings.
“It’s pretty impressive to get that many decisions,” said Garland, who was 15-4 in his first 19 starts. “I’m not going to worry about this one. I gave my team a chance.”
Kansas City’s Runelvys Hernandez, who had won his previous three starts, did not allow a hit until Aaron Rowand’s double with one out in the fourth.
“I threw only two bad pitches,” Hernandez said. “I have to say thank you to my team for coming back.”