Baker's dozen

This has got to be one of the worst, demoralizing losses of the season. I listened to the first two innings on the radio this afternoon and was shocked to hear the back-to-back-to-back shots by Graffanino, Berroa and Minks. Not exactly murderer's row. I'm sure everyone has heard that the Royals jumped out to a 6-0 lead after the first. Tiger's starter Mike Maroth lasted only seven batters. However, in the top of the second Denny Bautista managed to walk two and hit a batter with a couple of singles mixed in to bring the score to 6-3. There was a Berroa error mixed in there too. A Marcus Thames two run homer in the fourth made it 6-5. Bautista lasted just 3 and 2/3 after giving up 5 runs (4 earned).

Recently called up from Omaha, Bobby Keppel jogs in and pitches well, giving up one earned run in 3 and 1/3 and striking out 4. I was in Omaha about a month ago and watched Keppel pitch something like 7 innings of shutout, two-hit baseball against the Memphis Redbirds. Esteban German hit home run number one in the bottom of the fourth to give the Royals a 2 run lead. The Royals added another run in the 6th to make it 8-5. However, it wouldn't last.

The Tigers scored three in the eighth with two coming on a triple by Pudge. Tied up. Then in the ninth our new found closer Elmer comes in and gives up back-to-back jacks to Craig Monroe and Thames (his second of the game). Pudge then blased a three run shot to make to 13-8. Game over.

I'm a big fan of Denny Matthews and Ryan Lefebvre on the radio. A couple of things about yesterday's game regarding these two guys. Denny made a comment yesterday (I think when Dessens came out) that the 'Tompkin's Call To The Bullpen' was the best value in radio advertising! I about crashed my truck. However, after the game I could just hear the losses building up in his voice. He's been doing this a long time and he's certainly seen better Royals' ballclubs. I don't know how he (and Ryan) don't jump out of the press box when things like this happen.