Kansas City, Mo — Given where the Kansas City Royals are, manager Ned Yost will savor any victory.
Errors by Alberto Gonzalez and Mike Olt in a three-pitch span allowed the tiebreaking run to score in the 10th inning Sunday, giving the Royals a 7-6 victory over the Texas Rangers.
“Ugly, come on. How can you call that game ugly?” Yost said. “It’s a beautiful win. Against a team of that caliber and as hard fought as this series was and for us to come up with nothing going into today, it’s a beautiful win.”
With the score 6-6, Michael Kirkman (0-2) walked Billy Butler leading off the 10th. Gonzalez, who entered in the ninth when Elvis Andrus left because of a sore shoulder, booted a routine grounder by Salvador Perez as pinch-runner Eric Hosmer advanced,
“The first pitch, he hits a double-play ball, but it was such a rocket the shortstop booted it,” Yost said. “We’re due one of these wins every once in a while.”
Jeff Francoeur took a ball and then grounded to third. Olt, who made his major league debut Thursday, threw the ball into right field as Hosmer came home.
“There’s no ugly win,” Francoeur said. “They’re all beautiful.”
Kansas City, with the poorest record in the AL, improved to 45-62.
Texas dropped to 13-15 since the start of July as its four-game winning streak ended.
Greg Holland (4-3) threw 46 pitches in two innings, working around three hits and two walks.
“Holland had a gutsy effort,” Yost said.
Texas had threatened in the 10th, loading the bases with one out. But shortstop Alcides Escobar made a diving catch to his right of Mitch Moreland’s line drive for the second out, and Holland struck out Olt on a 3-2 pitch.
Olt walked leading off the ninth, stole second and took third on a throwing error by Perez, the Royals catcher. But Andrus failed to get a bunt down and Olt was out at home on the failed squeeze attempt.
Betancut
Slumping infielder Yuniesky Betancourt has been cut by the Kansas City Royals after beginning the season as the team’s starting second baseman.
Betancourt was designated for assignment Sunday following Kansas City’s 7-6 victory over the Texas Rangers in 10 innings. To replace him, the Royals selected the contract of infielder Tony Abreu from Triple-A Omaha.
Comments
CHEEZIT 5 years ago
The ending to that game was just below the first of the year when Broxton plunked two batters in a row to lose a game for the Royals!!! Two errors in a row but Texas is suppose to be the best in the American league???
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