Ian Kennedy sharp in Royals’ 9-2 victory over White Sox
As starter Ian Kennedy crossed another checkpoint in his spring training regimen, the Royals battered the Chicago White Sox 9-2 on Thursday at Camelback Ranch.
The victory was not without some spring oddities: Royals catcher Tony Cruz lined into a triple play; Drew Butera filled in at first base and hit an inside-the-park homer during a seven-run seventh; and the late onslaught served to bust open the game as the Royals improved to 5-6 in the Cactus League.
The day, though, began with Kennedy making his second start of the spring. He allowed one run and two hits in three innings, his lone blemish coming on a solo homer from Matt Davidson in the second inning. Kennedy remained low-key after his performance, saying his concerns largely rested with his pitch count and fastball command. In his first start, he displayed bits of rust. In his second, he sought to find right timing and release point. He threw 52 pitches, continuing the process of stretching out his arm in the weeks before opening day.
“As the start went on, I felt a little better,” Kennedy said. “It was just a little bit longer than last time, where (this time) you kind of make adjustments as you go. It’s just good to get the pitch count up.”
Left-hander Danny Duffy replaced Kennedy in the fourth inning, allowing one run across three innings. The run came on a solo shot from Chicago’s Brett Lawrie in the fifth. His first inning was marked by a bout of wildness. Duffy opened the inning by giving up a single to J.B. Shuck. He followed up by plunking Hector Sanchez and Mike Olt with one out, loading the bases. He escaped the jam with a strikeout and a grounder to second.
“He just settled in,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “This time in spring training, it’s all about getting settled in, getting your tempo and your timing and just getting your innings under your belt.
“That’s what you want to see them do. If they struggle a little bit in the first inning, (then) make an adjustment and come out and throw a couple more innings after that. And that’s exactly what Kennedy and Duffy both did.”
The Royals managed a single run in the third inning against White Sox starter Carson Fulmer, a top pitching prospect. They pieced together a run in the sixth after a single by Alex Gordon. They broke open the game in the seventh, plating seven runs.
Outfielder Jorge Bonifiacio landed the key blow, a bases-loaded, two-run single that pushed the Royals' lead to 5-2. Butera added a two-run, inside-the-park homer on a misplayed ball in center field. Bonifacio, a 22-year-old prospect who spent last year at Class AA Northwest Arkansas, is now 4 for 13 with two doubles and a homer this spring.
“He’s one of our young kids that we like a lot,” Yost said. “And the reason we like it, from even a young age, he’s been able to swing the bat. He’s got great bat speed, he’s got great hand-eye coordination. And he’s putting good swings on the ball.
The Royals had threatened to score in the fourth, after Reymond Fuentes and Dusty Coleman reached on a single and a walk, respectively. But Cruz tattered a ball to left with the runners going, resulting in a triple play.
“It’s an odd play,” Cruz said. “Anytime there’s a triple play, it’s always going to be an odd play.”
The regulars
One day after going 4 for 4 with a homer, Alex Gordon continued to take off at the plate. He finished with 2 for 3, lifting his average to .412 this spring. First baseman Eric Hosmer had a walk in two at-bats. Salvador Perez served as the designated hitter and went 0 for 4. Third baseman Mike Moustakas and center fielder Lorenzo Cain received days off.
The arms
After Kennedy and Duffy worked the first six innings, Luke Hochevar worked a scoreless seventh. Left-hander Brian Duensing and right-hander Ross Ohlendorf finished the game with scoreless innings.
Position battles
Second baseman Christian Colon remained mired in a spring slump. He finished 0 for 2 with a walk before giving way to Orlando Calixte at short. Colon is 0 for 14 in seven games. Omar Infante, his chief rival at second base, had the day off after making his spring debut in the field on Wednesday.
Next up
The Royals will return to Surprise Stadium to face the Arizona Diamondbacks at 2:05 p.m. Friday.
Thursday’s summary
Royals 9, White Sox 2
TableStyle: SP-basebattersCCI Template: SP-basebatters
Kansas City AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | Avg. | |
A.Gordon lf | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .412 |
J.Bonifacio pr-lf | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .308 |
C.Colon 2b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
Calixte 2b | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .231 |
Orlando rf | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .294 |
J.Martinez rf | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .417 |
Hosmer 1b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .333 |
Butera ph-1b | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .231 |
S.Perez dh | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .059 |
Barmes ss | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .250 |
Mondesi pr-ss | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .250 |
Fuentes cf | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .417 |
W.Merrifield cf | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .400 |
D.Coleman 3b | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .222 |
B.Eibner ph | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .182 |
P.Morin c | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .250 |
T.Cruz c | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
Dozier pr-3b | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .333 |
Totals 36 | 9 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 5 |
TableStyle: SP-basebattersCCI Template: SP-basebatters
Chicago AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | Avg. | |
Eaton dh | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .438 |
D.Fields ph-dh | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .250 |
J.Rollins ss | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .364 |
Parrino ss | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Lawrie 2b | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .214 |
J.Peter 2b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Shuck rf | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 |
J.Richmond rf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
Davidson 3b | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .385 |
H.Sanchez c | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 |
Brantly c | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .286 |
Olt 1b | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .125 |
J.Coats lf | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .125 |
Le.Garcia cf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .231 |
A.Engel cf | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Totals 32 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
TableStyle: SP-basebyinningsCCI Template: SP-basebyinnings
Kansas City | 001 | 001 | 700 | — | 9 | 11 | 1 |
Chicago (ss) | 010 | 010 | 000 | — | 2 | 5 | 3 |
E: A.Gordon (1), H.Sanchez (1), J.Richmond (1), J.Peter (1). DP: Kansas City 1. LOB: Kansas City 4, Chicago 6. 2B: J.Bonifacio (2), J.Martinez (1), W.Merrifield (1), D.Coleman (1), Brantly (1). HR: Butera (2), Lawrie (2), Davidson (2). SB: Shuck (1).
TableStyle: SP-basepitchersCCI Template: SP-basepitchers
Kansas City | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
Kennedy | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3.60 |
D.Duffy W, 1-0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7.20 |
Hochevar | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Duensing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4.50 |
Ohlendorf | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13.50 |
TableStyle: SP-basepitchersCCI Template: SP-basepitchers
Chicago | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
C.Fulmer | 2 1/3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8.31 |
N.Turley | 1 2/3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4.50 |
Carroll | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7.20 |
W.Lamb L, 0-1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 22.50 |
Wall | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 15.00 |
C.Kleven | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.00 |
Aumont | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
HBP: by D.Duffy (H.Sanchez, Olt). WP: C.Fulmer, N.Turley, Carroll. Umpires: Home, Gabe Morales; First, Alan Porter; Second, Brian Knight; Third, Jordan Baker. Time: 2:55. Att: 4,464.
This story was originally published March 10, 2016 at 5:25 PM with the headline "Ian Kennedy sharp in Royals’ 9-2 victory over White Sox."