Royals continue winless week with 2-0 loss to Giants
Where did this offense go?
The Royals continued their offensive ineptitude with a 2-0 loss to the Giants, extending their losing streak to seven games. They have scored a total of 13 games in those seven games, and they haven’t scored in their last 18 innings.
Seth Lugo had some trouble in the second, giving up an RBI triple to MGrant cCray, followed by an RBI single by Brett Wisely. He retired the next 16 hitters after that, ending his day after seven innings and 89 pitches, having allowed just three hits with no walks and five strikeouts, lowering his ERA to 3.03.
But those two runs would prove to be insurmountable for a Royals offense that has gone dormant. Unlike the last two games, the Royals at least faced a pitcher with a long track record of success, two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell. Snell retired 18 of the 21 hitters he faced. The Royals did not get a single runner into scoring position against him.
Snell exited after seven innings, opening the door slightly for a comeback. Reliever Tyler Rogers hit Michael Massey with a pitch to start the eighth, and Kyle Isbel singled him to second. The runners advanced on a groundout by Tommy Pham, causing the Giants to intentioanlly walk Bobby Witt Jr. But much like the 2014 World Series Game 7, with the tying run in scoring position against the Giants, Salvador Perez popped out to the end the threat.
The Royals again had the tying run at the plate in the ninth when Ryan Walker hit MJ Melendez to open the inning. But Walker retired Hunter Renfroe, Yuli Gurriel, and Massey to end the game.
The Royals fall to 82-74, and with the Tigers win today are now tied with them, although the Royals have the tiebreaker and would be the #2 Wild Card. The Twins lost the first game of their doubleheader and are a half game back, although they could tie both teams if they defeat Boston this evening.
The Royals are off tomorrow before they embark on their final road trip of the regular season, starting with a three-game set in Washington.