It says something about how Mike Minor’s star has risen that we consider a 5 IP, 3 run outing from him to be kind of disappointing, given for three spots in the rotation we would take that outcome in a heartbeat. Minor’s command wasn’t sharp all game, but he made it through the fifth inning without allowing a run, though with his pitch count nearing 100.
Chris Woodward asked him to go out for the sixth inning, though, and that’s where things went wrong. Single, infield single, and then a Jorge Soler home run, and suddenly the Royals had three runs on the board. Minor then gave up a single to Martin Maldonado and was pulled, having failed to retire a batter in the inning.
Jeffrey Springs replaced Minor, and faced 8 batters. Four struck out. One got an infield single on a ball that would have been a routine play by a shaded-up-the-middle Elvis Andrus, had Elvis not gotten a glove on the ball. One was a solo home run, which puts a damper on things.
Jose Leclerc had a 1-2-3 inning with 2 Ks, and has now struck out 24 of the last 48 hitters he has faced. That’s good.
Shelby Miller also had a 1-2-3 inning with 2 Ks, and that’s good and unexpected.
The less said about the offense, the better. Shin-Soo Choo homered and had a single, Nomar Mazara homered, Asdrubal Cabrera singles (and got two walks), and Elvis Andrus singled. It’s hard to generate much offense when that’s all of your hits.
Just a big bland bowl of blah today. Let’s bounce back tomorrow.
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