Kansas City Royals rally, but bullpen can’t slow down Astros’ offense in a 7-4 loss
Salvador Perez tried to will the Kansas City Royals into the game late, and he very nearly accomplished that feat by knocking in three runs to get his club within one going into the ninth inning.
Royals relief pitcher Dylan Coleman also put the club on his back and pitched out of a jam with a razor-thin margin for error to keep the Houston Astros within reach.
Unfortunately for the Royals, the extraordinary efforts of Perez and Coleman went for naught.
Royals relief pitchers hit a batter, giving up three hits, a walk and three runs with two outs, as KC fell 7-4 in front of an announced 12,776 in the finale of a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Astros clinched the series with the win.
The Royals’ bullpen gave up four runs in the final two innings, but they still got the tying run on base in the ninth inning before falling short.
“Everything is good when we win, but today was a pretty good game,” Perez said. “We kept it close. You guys know how baseball is. It’s nobody’s fault. That’s what it is. Everybody is trying to do their job. Yesterday, the bullpen was really good. Today, they give up a few runs. It’s part of the game.
“The good thing is we’ve got an opportunity tomorrow. Today is over. Try to concentrate on the new series against Toronto and see what happens.”
Perez went 2 for 3 with a home run and a double and drove in three of the team’s runs. Michael A. Taylor (2 for 3, walk, run scored) had two hits. Whit Merrifield (1 for 4, walk) and MJ Melendez (1 for 3, walk) also had hits for the Royals (17-35).
Ryan O’Hearn had a pinch-hit RBI single in the ninth inning. He batted for Andrew Benintendi, who was taken out of the game in the ninth inning due to a calf injury.
The Royals trailed 3-0 in the sixth when Perez’s sixth-inning two-run home run cut the deficit to one run. It was the second consecutive day that Perez smashed a two-run homer in the sixth to get the Royals on the board.
However, the Astros tacked on runs against the Royals relief corps. Yordan Alvarez’s 16th home run of the season and second of the series, a 456-foot blast off of right-hander Arodys Vizcaino, made the score 4-2.
Vizcaino didn’t record an out in the eighth, but walked back-to-back batters after the home run. Matheny turned to Coleman.
Coleman struck out three consecutive batters to strand two runners and hold the deficit at two runs.
“Just trying to execute pitches,” Coleman said of his approach. “Just attacking hitters, and even good hitters are going to get out seven out of ten times right there. Just try and execute a pitch, keep the ball down, maybe get a double play or whatever. We’re just trying to get ahead, then pick my spots once I was ahead to try to get a strikeout.”
After the first two strikeouts, Coleman threw three consecutive balls to No. 9 hitter Martin Maldonado. One of those balls, a wild pitch, allowed both runners to move up and put two men in scoring position.
Rookie catcher Melendez made a mound visit to speak with Coleman, and Coleman threw three consecutive strikes to retire Maldonado.
Coleman said afterward the conversation was about pitch selection after Coleman shook off a call.
“I think he was just more or less trying to give me a little breather, but also at the same time give me confidence in why he put down that pitch,” Coleman said.
In the ninth, the Astros scored three runs with two outs against relievers Collin Snider and Albert Abreu. Snider got two outs in the first three batters of the inning, but then hit Alvarez with a man on base. Tucker then smacked an RBI single to right field that added to the lead and started the Astros on a roll. Yuli Gurriel followed with an RBI single, and Jeremy Pena followed suit with an RBI single.
“Snider gets us two outs, he’s being careful there,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “Alvarez is probably swinging the bat as good as anybody I’ve seen this whole year. He’s trying to be careful and the slider gets away.
“After that, we’ve got to get that third out. Unfortunately, Tucker hits a ball that’s out actually a ball — that ball was off the plate — and end up turning into the one that hurt. Then obviously the next one with Gurriel. But Snider has been really good. Unfortunately, just couldn’t put that away.”
Heasley’s best outing
Pitcher Jonathan Heasley, making the start for the Royals, allowed three runs on seven hits, including one home run by Kyle Tucker, and two walks in six innings — his second consecutive six-inning start. He also matched his season high with five strikeouts.
Heasley entered the day having pitched a season-high six innings in his previous outing against the Guardians on May 30. He also turned in the first quality start of his career. His three walks in that game matched his season low.
“Overall, I thought it was probably my strongest outing of the year, especially as far as just pure stuff goes,” Heasley said. “I felt like I had my curveball working, honestly, for the first time. And I was really confident with it, got ahead with it a few times, stole a strike early.
“Then I felt like I was able to put guys away a little bit more than I was able to in the last few starts. I’m really happy with that, and, obviously, there was some really good defense behind me.”
This story was originally published June 5, 2022 at 4:51 PM.
