Royals closer Greg Holland back in form

You know things are going well for the Royals when Greg Holland blows a save and the Royals win.

That happened Thursday, when Holland served up a run in the ninth that allowed the Indians to tie the game. The Royals won it 2-1 in the 14th inning.

On Saturday, things were back to normal. Holland recorded a 1-2-3 ninth inning, striking out Carlos Santana and Chris Dickerson to end the Royals’ 7-5 victory.

“I wasn’t sharp the other night,” Holland said. “I didn’t feel tired or anything. I just didn’t have good command of the baseball.”

Holland best knows his fatigue level, but Thursday’s game was his third appearance in three days, and Royals manager Ned Yost made certain not to use Holland or Wade Davis, who had been used just as frequently this week, in Friday’s 6-4 victory.

The bullpen has been a major strength for the Royals this year, and managing it properly is critical to the team’s run for a postseason spot.

“Our bullpen guys are going above and beyond the call of duty,” Yost said.

The Royals got production Saturday from left-hander Scott Downs — who got Jason Kipnis on a ground-out to end the sixth — Kelvin Herrera, David and Holland.

Herrera was nails, getting Santana and Dickerson on pop flies and striking out Nick Swisher with a blazing fastball to end an Indians threat in the seventh.

“Tremendous,” Yost said. “Phenomenal job holding the fort.”

This story was originally published July 26, 2014 at 11:00 PM with the headline "Royals closer Greg Holland back in form."