Danny Duffy allows two earned runs in relief as Royals fall to Rangers 13-6 in San Antonio
When spring training began in mid February, Royals officials sought an open-minded approach with left-handed pitcher Danny Duffy.
He was a candidate for the starting rotation, manager Ned Yost said, but he also offered value as a potential bullpen piece. Royals pitching coach Dave Eiland echoed the sentiment. Duffy said he would welcome either role.
One month later, Yost has offered no official proclamations about the makeup of his starting rotation. But with two weeks remaining before the Royals open the season against the New York Mets on April 3, it appears increasingly likely that Duffy will pitch in relief in April.
On Saturday afternoon, Duffy toed the rubber and made his latest case for a substantial role, whatever that ends up being. As the Royals finished a two-game series against the Rangers in San Antonio, Duffy threw two innings of relief, allowing two runs in a 13-6 loss at the Alamodome.
The outing offered a full representation of Duffy. He dazzled for an inning, striking out two while slicing through the Rangers in the fourth. He then skidded for another, suffering through a shaky fifth. In the span of six batters, Duffy allowed a ground-rule double to Pedro Ciriaco, threw a wild pitch, recorded a four-pitch walk, allowed a delayed steal of third and recorded two strikeouts.
When the inning was done, the Rangers had snapped a 3-3 tie with two runs, scoring the second on a well-executed double steal of home plate. Duffy remained enthused about his overall performance.
“This is one that I definitely can’t put anything into the [final] line,” Duffy said. “I left a pitch out over to Ciriaco. Other than that, I felt like I threw the ball really well. I was really down in the zone. My slider was really sharp today.”
As the Royals prepared to head back to Arizona, Yost agreed. For most of this spring, Duffy has toggled between solid and erratic. On Saturday, Yost said, he was more consistent.
“I thought Duffy was much better today,” Yost said. “Good stuff, pounding the strike zone — he wasn’t erratic. He wasn’t all over the place.”
In the big picture, Duffy will need a strong finish if he wants to claw back into position for a rotation spot. To this point, he has made up little ground on right-handers Chris Young and Kris Medlen. When discussing his rotation options on Saturday morning, Yost mentioned right-handers Dillon Gee and Chien-Ming Wang, who started here in San Antonio. He did not immediately bring up Duffy.
For now, Yost says, he feels encouraged by his club’s starting pitching depth. He has declined to offer anything official on his rotation. But Saturday brought attention to some of that depth.
For the second straight day, the Royals were facing Texas in a split-squad game here at the Alamodome. This time, Wang made his first start of the spring, allowing three runs (two earned) in three innings. All three runs came across in the second inning. The Texas rally included a throwing error on third baseman Whit Merrifield, a single and a two-run homer over the short-porch in right field.
“We made an error,” Yost said. “Then [there’s] a little fly ball that probably wouldn’t have been 20 feet from the warning track at our park goes out for a two-run homer. I thought he threw great.”
Royals 5, Marines 4 (split squad)
While one group played in San Antonio, a pair of former high school players from Kansas City sparked a rally in the Royals’ 5-4 win over the Mariners in Surprise, Ariz.
The Royals trailed 3-1 in the bottom of the eighth inning, but Jorge Bonifacio singled with one out and Elier Hernandez pinch-ran. Bubba Starling, the former Gardner Edgerton star, lofted a fly ball to short left field that eluded three Mariners and fell for a hit.
Humberto Arteaga’s single scored Hernandez. After Raul Mondesi walked, outfielder Logan Moon hit a two-run double that gave the Royals a 4-3 lead. Moon is a former Blue Springs South star who played at Class A Wilmington a year ago. Frank Schwindel’s groundout scored the final run.
Starter Matt Strahm allowed three runs, all in the first, in three innings.
Joakim Soria (two innings pitched, one hit allowed, three strikeouts), Kelvin Herrera (one inning, one strikeout) and Brian Duensing (two innings, one hit, two strikeouts) all pitched well in relief.
The regulars
Salvador Perez homered for the second straight day in San Antonio, finishing 2 for 4 with three RBIs. Perez’s homer followed an opposite-field blast from first baseman Eric Hosmer.
Center fielder Lorenzo Cain added a solo homer in the sixth, slicing a high fly ball to right field that took advantage of the Alamodome’s generous dimensions. Cain smiled as he rounded first base, looking toward Texas pitch Cesar Ramos.
With an off-day looming on Monday, Cain, Hosmer and Perez all played seven innings on Saturday.
The arms
Left-hander Scott Alexander threw another scoreless frame, striking out the side in the sixth inning. He has yet to allow a run this spring.
The Rangers broke open the game with two runs against minor-league pitcher Kevin McCarthy and six runs against Luke Farrell.
Position battles
Second baseman Christian Colon went one for four, raising his average to .182 this spring. Back in Surprise, Omar Infante started at second base and finished 0 for 3 in the victory over the Mariners.
Up next
The Royals will face the Chicago Cubs in Mesa, Ariz., at 3:05 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.
Saturday’s first-game
summary
Rangers 13, Royals 6
TableStyle: SP-basebattersCCI Template: SP-basebatters
Kansas City AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | Avg. | |
C.Colon 2b | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .182 |
Calixte 3b | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .294 |
Snider rf | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .200 |
L.Cain cf | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .357 |
D.Coleman pr-2b | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .200 |
Hosmer 1b | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .400 |
B.Fuenmayor 1b | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .250 |
S.Perez c | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | .206 |
C.Toups pr | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
P.Morin c | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .222 |
Barmes ss | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .273 |
R.Torres ss | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .214 |
W.Merrifield 3b-lf | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .333 |
J.Martinez lf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .261 |
Fuentes lf-cf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .370 |
R.O’Hearn dh | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .250 |
Orlando ph-dh | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .235 |
Totals 36 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 10 |
TableStyle: SP-basebattersCCI Template: SP-basebatters
Texas AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | Avg. | |
DeShields cf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .321 |
Stubbs cf | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | .320 |
Alberto ss | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .280 |
Bernier 2b | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .125 |
Mazara rf | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .387 |
Danks rf | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
D.Day rf | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Rua lf | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .433 |
J.Hoying lf | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .750 |
Ruggiano 1b | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .176 |
R.Guzman 1b | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .471 |
Chirinos dh | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .182 |
P.Cantwell ph-dh | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
D.Robinson 3b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .207 |
J.Morgan 3b | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .286 |
B.Wilson c | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .417 |
J.Trevino c | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .333 |
Ciriaco 2b-ss | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 |
Totals 38 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 4 | 10 |
TableStyle: SP-basebyinningsCCI Template: SP-basebyinnings
Kansas City (ss) | 000 | 301 | 020 | — | 6 | 9 | 5 |
Texas (ss) | 030 | 020 | 26x | — | 13 | 12 | 1 |
E: Barmes 2 (2), D.Coleman (1), W.Merrifield (2), R.Torres (2), Ruggiano (1). DP: Texas 1. LOB: Kansas City 3, Texas 6. 2B: L.Cain (2), P.Cantwell (1), Ciriaco (2). 3B: R.Guzman (1). HR: L.Cain (2), Hosmer (2), S.Perez (2), Stubbs (2), J.Hoying (2), Chirinos (1). SB: C.Colon (1), W.Merrifield (2), Stubbs 2 (2), Mazara (1), Ruggiano (1). S: Ciriaco.
TableStyle: SP-basepitchersCCI Template: SP-basepitchers
Kansas City | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
Wang | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3.00 |
D.Duffy L, 1-2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 9.00 |
Alexander | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.00 |
K.McCarthy | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 18.00 |
L.Farrell | 2/3 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 40.50 |
M.Culver | 1/3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
TableStyle: SP-basepitchersCCI Template: SP-basepitchers
Texas | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
Griffin | 3 2/3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 5.79 |
Claudio | 1/3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.00 |
C.Ramos W, 1-0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4.50 |
S.Freeman | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7.20 |
Wilhelmsen | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.00 |
WP: D.Duffy. Umpires: Home, Lance Barrett; First, Tripp Gibson; Second, Anthony Johnson; Third, Adrian Johnson. Time: 2:55. Att: 33,592.
AP-WF-08-31-14 0338GMT
Saturday’s second-game
summary
Royals 5, Mariners 4
TableStyle: SP-basebattersCCI Template: SP-basebatters
Seattle AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | Avg. | |
Aoki cf | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .242 |
B.Bishop cf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 |
Sardinas ss | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .361 |
R.Ascanio ss | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .400 |
K.Seager 3b | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .323 |
O’Malley 3b | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .556 |
D.Lee dh | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .286 |
S.Smith rf | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .545 |
O’Neill pr-rf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 |
J.Montero 1b | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .235 |
D.Peterson 1b | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
C.Taylor 2b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .233 |
T.Lopes 2b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .167 |
Brantly c | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .313 |
Lerud c | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .250 |
A.Fields pr | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Dan.Robertson lf | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .480 |
D.Pizzano lf | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .286 |
Totals 36 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 9 |
TableStyle: SP-basebattersCCI Template: SP-basebatters
Kansas City AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | Avg. | |
A.Escobar ss | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .192 |
H.Arteaga ss | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .200 |
Infante 2b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .263 |
Mondesi 2b | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .360 |
A.Gordon lf | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .344 |
L.Moon lf | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .500 |
K.Morales 1b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .231 |
F.Schwindel 1b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .250 |
C.Decker dh | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .308 |
T.Cruz ph-dh | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .087 |
Butera c | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .208 |
X.Fernandez c | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
A.Franco 3b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .286 |
C.Garcia ph-3b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
Bonifacio rf | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .346 |
E.Hernandez pr-rf | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 |
Starling cf | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .148 |
Totals 31 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 7 |
TableStyle: SP-basebyinningsCCI Template: SP-basebyinnings
Seattle (ss) | 300 | 000 | 001 | — | 4 | 8 | 0 |
Kansas City (ss) | 001 | 000 | 04x | — | 5 | 8 | 0 |
E: K.Herrera (1), Bonifacio (1). DP: Kansas City 1. LOB: Seattle 7, Kansas City 3. 2B: J.Montero (2), Dan.Robertson (4), D.Pizzano (1), A.Gordon (1), L.Moon (1), C.Decker (2). HR: Bonifacio (2).
TableStyle: SP-basepitchersCCI Template: SP-basepitchers
Seattle | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
T.Walker | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4.73 |
Wieland L, 0-1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 6.55 |
TableStyle: SP-basepitchersCCI Template: SP-basepitchers
Kansas City | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
M.Strahm | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4.15 |
Soria | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.00 |
K.Herrera | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1.50 |
Duensing W, 1-0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2.57 |
M.Alvarez S, 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9.00 |
Blown save: Wieland (1). HBP: by M.Strahm (Aoki). Umpires: Home, Jordan Baker; First, Mike Muchlinski; Third, Pat Hoberg. Time: 2:16. Att: 10,638.
AP-WF-08-31-14 0338GMT
This story was originally published March 19, 2016 at 5:02 PM with the headline "Danny Duffy allows two earned runs in relief as Royals fall to Rangers 13-6 in San Antonio."