Danny Duffy dazzles as Kansas City Royals blank Indians 3-0 for third win in four games
Danny Duffy turned in the best pitching start of the young season for the Kansas City Royals, pacing them to their third win in four games.
The veteran left-hander tossed six scoreless innings and struck out five in his first start of 2021, holding the Cleveland Indians to two hits in a 3-0 Royals victory at Progressive Field.
Duffy won his first outing of the season for just the second time in his career. His only other win in his first appearance of a season came against the Oakland Athletics in 2012. He held the A’s to one hit in six innings that day.
In spoiling the Indians’ home opener, the Royals bounced back from their first loss of the year. Their 3-1 start is their best through four games since 2016. They’ve also won four in a row against the Indians dating back to last season.
The Royals’ bullpen had thrown 16 1/3 innings in their first three games. Mike Minor’s six-inning outing Saturday came after Brad Keller didn’t make it out of the second in the season opener and before Brady Singer turned it over to the bullpen in the fourth inning of game three.
“I don’t think it was as much our bullpen being beat up as much as it was that we just need our starters to lead this staff,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said of the importance of Duffy’s outing. “ Part of that is continuing to take the ball deep into the game.
“Danny was fantastic. He controlled. He had good movement. At times, I think it was hurting him as far as location. But his stuff was sharp. It was coming out of his hand crisp. … It was as good as I’ve seen Danny, and as good a time for us as any to have a start like that for our club.”
Through the first three innings, Duffy didn’t allow more than one base runner at a time. He issued a walk in the first, a single in the second and a walk in the third.
The Indians (1-3) couldn’t didn’t get a runner to second base until the fourth.
“I probably could have commanded my fastball a little to a lot better,” Duffy said. “We were able to get by when we needed to with some good changeups. Defense made great plays behind me. Overall, I’m really pleased with the outing. I know there’s more there, though.”
Duffy appeared to be on the cusp of trouble with two outs in the fourth after he gave up a double to the left-field corner by Franmil Reyes and a four-pitch walk to Amed Rosario. The latter triggered a visit to the mound by catcher Salvador Perez.
“He just kind of came out and gave me a little breather,” Duffy said. “I was missing my fastball arm-side. Just wanted to kind of get a reset. So it was the perfect timing for that, ended up figuring it out.”
The inning ended on a line drive to left off the bat of Josh Naylor that left fielder Andrew Benintendi snagged on the run.
Second baseman Whit Merrifield served as the one-stop shop for offense and the bane of the Indians’ pitchers. He drove in all three runs, including a two-run home run on a 3-0 pitch in the second inning.
“I was looking for a pitch in a zone and something I can drive,” Merrifield said. “I got it and didn’t miss it.”
Merrifield added a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning with runners on the corners. He went 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Merrifield has been scorching hot to start the season. On Monday, he became the first Royals player to hit three or more home runs in his team’s first four games and the first to collect eight or more RBIs in his team’s first four. Merrifield now has three home runs and nine RBIs.
Nicky Lopez also reached base three times. He went 2 for 3 with a walk and a run out of the No. 9 spot in the batting order in front of Merrifield.
The Indians threatened in the ninth. Reliever Jesse Hahn walked the leadoff batter and then gave up a single to bring the tying run to the plate.
But former Indians first baseman Carlos Santana started a double play one batter later to squelch the rally.
Hahn walked Cesar Hernandez to start the ninth, giving the Indians their first base runner since the fourth inning. But Scott Barlow pitched two innings of no-hit relief and Hahn earned his first save.
The Royals and Indians have a scheduled day off Tuesday and wrap up their two-game set Wednesday.
This story was originally published April 5, 2021 at 6:15 PM.
