Heath Fillmyer starts for first time this spring as Royals lose 4-1 to the Cubs
Royals starting pitcher Heath Fillmyer made his first start of the spring, and he allowed one run on a pair of two-out hits in his second and final inning on the mound.
The Royals allowed runs in the fourth, sixth and eighth innings Wednesday in a 4-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs in front of an announced 12,036 at Sloan Park. The Royals’ lone run came on a Bubba Starling RBI single in the fourth inning. Chris Owings went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored.
Fillmyer, who went 4-2 with a 4.26 ERA last season in 17 games (13 starts), said he felt good and was pleased with his ability to get some ground ball outs. He gave up a two-out double and an RBI single in the second, which kept him from getting out of the inning unscathed.
“It felt good to get the ball down and be in the zone with all of my pitches, which is great, most importantly the ball felt good out of my hand,” Fillmyer said. “I was able to locate, and I felt pretty good.”
Walking the tightrope: Pitcher Michael Ynoa allowed just one run despite loading the bases with no outs. He hit the next batter, forcing in the run. He then struck out the next three batters. Ynoa finished his outing having allowed one run on two hits and two walks in two innings. He also struck out four.
Successful surgery for Salvy: The Royals announced just before first pitch on Wednesday that All-Star catcher Salvador Perez had undergone “successful” Tommy John surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow. Neal ElAttrache performed the procedure in Los Angeles. Perez is expected to miss the 2019 season.
“Unfortunately injuries are a part of the game,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said in a news release from the team. “We fully expect Salvy to return to our club once healthy and continue to play with the passion and enjoyment that he has played with since joining our organization. His leadership and production on the field will not be easy to replicate, but as a team we will embrace this unforeseen challenge and are excited for the 2019 championship season.”
Up next: The Royals will host a Los Angeles Angels split squad at 2:05 p.m. Thursday in Surprise Stadium. KCSP (610 AM) will broadcast the game on radio. The Royals list right-hander Brad Keller as their starting pitcher, while Ben Lively, Richard Lovelady, Scott Barlow and Chris Ellis are also scheduled to pitch.
This story was originally published March 6, 2019 at 5:26 PM with the headline "Heath Fillmyer starts for first time this spring as Royals lose 4-1 to the Cubs."
