Daily Clips
May 19, 2017
LOCAL
Moose mashes, Duffy dominates vs. Yankees
May 19, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan and Jeffrey Falkoff/MLB.com
After firing up teammates, Duffy dazzles
May 19, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
Moylan's numbers skewed by a bit of bad luck
May 19, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
After 12-K start, Karns set for opener vs. Twins
May 19, 2017By Shane Jackson/MLB.com
Danny Duffy strikes out 10 Yankees in dealing Royals a 5-1 victory
May 19, 2017By Blair Kerkhoff/KC Star
Mike Moustakas’ 10th home run keeps him on pace to break dubious record
May 19, 2017By Vahe Gregorian/KC Star
As his ERA skyrockets, Royals reliever Peter Moylan finds hope in the numbers
May 19, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star
MINORS
Tacoma & Omaha Split Thursday Twinbill
Rainiers win Game 1 1-0, Chasers earn 5-0 finale victory
May 19, 2017By Andrew Green/Omaha Storm Chasers
Schwindel Joins Chasers, Moon transferred
Frank Schwindel currently pacing Texas League in slugging pct.
May 19, 2017Omaha Storm Chasers
Rome rallies from six down, wins 7-6
May 19, 2017Lexington Legends
MLB TRANSACTIONS
April 1, 2017 •.CBSSports.com
LOCAL
Moose mashes, Duffy dominates vs. Yankees
May 19, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan and Jeffrey Falkoff/MLB.com
Mike Moustakas clubbed a three-run homer, left-hander Danny Duffy tossed seven shutout innings and the Royals avoided a three-game sweep by the Yankees with a 5-1 win on Thursday night at Kauffman Stadium.
Moustakas, who missed most of 2016 with a torn ACL, now has 32 home runs in his last 133 games. He leads the Royals in homers, with 10.
"That was a huge home run for us," Duffy said. "Going from a two-run lead to a five-run lead, that just made it so much more comfortable."
Duffy carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning, when Jacoby Ellsbury bunted for a single. Duffy gave up two more hits while walking two and striking out 10.
Left-hander Jordan Montgomery went five innings for the Yankees, giving up four hits and five runs. He walked three and struck out four.
"It looked like Duffy's slider was really good tonight," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "You are going to run into guys who have good stuff and are on. On certain nights it's going to be tough to put much up against them. We had a couple of chances."
Yankees second baseman Starlin Castro said his team had trouble picking up the spin on Duffy's slider.
"I didn't see [the spin indicating a slider]," Castro said. "He didn't make too many mistakes."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
A Moose calling: Moustakas jumped on a first-pitch 85-mph slider from Montgomery and hoisted it high into the night. A strong and gusting wind blowing in from right field nearly blew the ball back onto the field of play, but the three-run shot -- Statcast™ had it traveling at 102.3 mph -- essentially sealed the outcome, as Drew Butera and Alcides Escobar scored ahead of Moustakas.
"I knew I hit it well," Moustakas said, "but I knew the wind was blowing in pretty hard. I saw [Aaron] Judge get to the wall and I started to get nervous. Pretty happy when it got over."
Added Royals manager Ned Yost: "Wind killed it. He smoked it. The wind kind of caught up and it died out there, but he got enough to get it over the fence."
Costly mistake: Montgomery walked Eric Hosmer and Jorge Bonifacio in the second, and with one out, induced what appeared to be a double-play grounder from Jorge Soler. But the relay throw from Castro skipped into first baseman Chris Carter, who couldn't handle it. Soler was safe, and the Royals capitalized, as Whit Merrifield and Butera followed with RBI singles to give the Royals a 2-0 lead.
"It's a low throw [to Castro], and that makes it tougher on him," Girardi said. "That was one we probably should have turned."
UPON FURTHER REVIEW
The Yankees challenged an out call at first after Ellsbury opened the fourth with a bunt along the first-base line. Duffy got off the mound and threw quickly to first, but the out call was overturned, giving the Yankees their first hit of the game.
WHAT'S NEXT
Yankees: Right-hander Luis Severino (2-2, 3.86 ERA) will make his eighth start on Friday at 7:10 p.m. ET when the Yankees open a weekend series against the Rays at Tropicana Field. Severino matched the shortest start of his career last Sunday, when he lasted just 2 1/3 innings and allowed six hits and three earned runs while taking a no-decision against the Astros.
Royals: Right-hander Nathan Karns (2-2, 4.46 ERA) takes the mound for the Royals as they open a three-game series in Minneapolis against the Twins on Friday at 7:10 p.m. CT. Karns struck out a career-high 12 batters in his most recent start, on Saturday against the Orioles.
After firing up teammates, Duffy dazzles
May 19, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
Danny Duffy's first order of business on Thursday was loosening up his teammates, who had twice been beaten convincingly by the Yankees in the series.
Duffy, in cheerleader fashion, fired up each teammate, one by one.
"I just kept the guys loose before the game," Duffy said. "I wanted to get them laughing. I walked into the dugout and said, 'I need the vibe tribe tonight, guys.' Couldn't be happier with the result."
The result was a tidy 5-1 win, led by Duffy's seven shutout innings, that helped the Royals avoid the sweep.
"I just thought he did a tremendous job, seven strong innings in a game we really needed to win," manager Ned Yost said. "We didn't want to leave here getting swept, especially after playing good against Baltimore [last weekend]. Danny set the tone for us."
Duffy gave up three hits, walked two and struck out a season-high 10. He admitted afterward that he thought he had no-hit stuff.
"Everything had the action I wanted," he said. "Felt good from the get-go. I knew this was a game we really needed to have. I really wanted to excel for the boys."
Duffy's slider was spot on, and he struck out five of the first six Yankees he faced.
"I think I just got through [the slider] more," he said. "I think I just located the slider really well. I felt really good about my whole repertoire.
"I think we found something in the bullpen and in the side sessions between starts. You have to make adjustments on the fly in this game. I just did my job tonight, and the team did its thing."
Duffy didn't allow a hit until Jacoby Ellsbury led off the fourth with a bunt single. Ellsbury was originally was ruled out, but the Yankees challenged the call and won. Duffy's throw to first was in time, but first baseman Eric Hosmer pulled his foot off the bag, according to replay officials.
"I expect to make that play," Duffy said. "I pulled Hoz off the bag a bit. We practice that in spring all the time. I knew Jacoby was a burner, so I needed to get it over there quick.
"But overall, I'll take this. We needed it. It was a team win."
Moylan's numbers skewed by a bit of bad luck
May 19, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
If you just look at the surface, you'd think Royals right-hander Peter Moylan is having an awful season.
Through 20 relief outings, he has a 9.20 ERA.
But he remains in manager Ned Yost's circle of trust as a late-inning guy because Yost is ignoring the ERA. And rightfully so.
In 16 of those 20 outings, Moylan wasn't touched for a run, and in another he gave up just one. But in the other three, he was blown up for 14 runs, thus ballooning what otherwise would be a very tidy ERA.
"You look at the numbers from the outside, and it's like, 'This guy can't get anyone out,'" Moylan said. "But it feels like I'm throwing well. And I've thrown the ball as well as I [ever] have. Just run into some [lousy] luck."
The numbers from Statcast™ support that. Right-handed batters' exit velocity against Moylan is 85 mph. For left-handers it's just 78 mph. The league average for both is about 87.
That suggests a lot of soft contact.
"His last 10 hits [he has given up], I guarantee eight of them have been jam shots or off the end of the bat or infield hits," Yost said.
Statcast™ also notes that the expected batting average against Moylan should be .251. Instead it's .317. Again, bad luck.
"Every single one of those [bad] outings, there's been a broken-bat hit or a grounder that sneaked through," Moylan said. "I wouldn't say it's all bad luck, but I haven't been able to stop the bleeding once it starts. It's frustrating. [But] I'm not going to change what I do.
"One day it works, or six straight days it works, and then you have one day you give up four or five runs in one inning."
Another reason for the blowups is his usage on those days. Normally, Yost would not leave Moylan and his submarine delivery to face left-handed hitters, as that pitching style is much tougher on righties.
But in Moylan's tough outings, the Royals already were well behind, so there was no reason for Yost to mix and match and waste his other relievers.
"If it's a close game, Ned's not going to use me against those lefties," Moylan said. "But in a game like [Wednesday's loss to the Yankees] ... Then again, it's my opportunity to show I can get those guys out. It's not like I'm getting smashed [by left-handers]."
Yost is insistent that he will keep using Moylan in whatever situation warrants it.
"Why wouldn't I?" Yost said.
After 12-K start, Karns set for opener vs. Twins
May 19, 2017By Shane Jackson/MLB.com
The Twins and Royals open a three-game weekend set at Target Field on Friday. Minnesota has already won more meetings against Kansas City than it did all of last year, claiming all five games thus far after going 4-15 against the Royals in 2016.
Friday's two starters are coming off completely different outings. Minnesota left-hander Hector Santiago will look to rebound from his last start, while Kansas City right-hander Nate Karns will attempt to build on his previous performance after making club history.
Last time out, Karns (2-2, 4.46 ERA) struck out 12 batters across five innings in the no-decision against Baltimore. The dozen punchouts were the most in franchise history in five innings. Over his past two starts, Karns has whiffed 22 batters in 11 1/3 innings. He faced the Twins back on April 5, when he allowed four runs off a pair of hits while pitching in relief.
In his worst outing of the year, Santiago (4-2, 3.80 ERA) lasted 2 2/3 frames against Cleveland last time out. He gave up six runs on seven hits, including three home runs. It was the first time all year that Santiago surrendered multiple homers. Earlier this season, Santiago spun five innings of one-run ball in a win over the Royals.
Things to know about this game
• Santiago has faced Kansas City 16 times in his career, including 10 starts. He has gone 3-3 with a 3.82 ERA over 61 1/3 innings, striking out 51 and walking 21.
• Of the current Royals, Eric Hosmer has the most at-bats against Santiago with 29. He is batting .345 with six RBIs and two homers against the left-hander. In 25 at-bats, Alcides Escobar has posted a .400 average with a double and a triple.
• No Twins batter has more than five career at-bats against Karns, but Miguel Sano has still managed to drive in six runs on a homer and a triple against the Royals hurler. Four-seamers, two-seamers, sinkers, cutters, splitters -- throw Sano any type of fastball you like, and he's liable to crush it. Minnesota's big slugger reigns supreme with a 101.2-mph average exit velocity against all fastball types, and he is the only player left with a triple-digit average exit velocity in that department (minimum 25 balls in play).
Danny Duffy strikes out 10 Yankees in dealing Royals a 5-1 victory
May 19, 2017By Blair Kerkhoff/KC Star
The Royals needed a big game from their ace, and Danny Duffy delivered.
After two nights of getting dizzy watching the Yankees circle the bases, the Royals and Duffy responded with a 5-1 triumph on Thursday.
The Royals (17-23) avoided the three-game sweep in the series, and Duffy’s work, excellent all night, actually started before the game.
“I was just trying to keep the guys loose,” Duffy said. “Today, I just wanted to get people laughing, get them going. I walked into the dugout and said, ‘I need the vibe tribe tonight.’”
Duffy did his part, scattering three hits over seven innings while striking out 10, the fourth double-digit strikeout game of his career. Nine of the whiffs were of the swing-and-miss variety.
“Everything had the action I wanted,” Duffy said. “I knew this was a game we really needed to have. I felt good from the jump.”
So good that Duffy struck out the side in the first. He mowed through the first nine hitters with six strikeouts, and, yes, Duffy said the stuff was there to think early on about a no-hitter.
“I felt I had one of those nights when I was locked in,” Duffy said. “I was locked in in the bullpen.”
The first Yankees’ hit required a replay and reversal when Jacoby Ellsbury opened the fourth with a drag bunt to the right side. Duffy pounced off the mound and threw a dart to Eric Hosmer. First-base umpire Jim Reynolds called him out.
Ellsbury started making his way back when the Yankees dugout put up the stop sign. The Yanks would challenge, and win. The throw appeared to beat Ellsbury by the closest of margins, but Hosmer’s foot was ruled to have left the bag as the ball arrived.
By then, the Royals had built a 2-0 lead with help from the Yankees, good base running and clutch swings from the bottom of the order.
Hosmer got it started with a leadoff walk, and one out later Jorge Bonifacio walked.
When Yankees third baseman Chase Headley fielded Jorge Soler’s grounder on a big hop, an easy double play was in order. But first baseman Chris Carter couldn’t cleanly glove Starlin Castro’s one-hop throw.
The Royals’ Whit Merrifield followed with a line single up the middle scoring Hosmer.
Drew Butera punched a line single to right, perhaps too hard to score Soler from second. But third-base coach Mike Jirschele saw that Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge didn’t get a good jump on the ball, and Jirschele waved Soler home. Judge’s throw was on line but high and Soler slid under the tag for a 2-0 lead.
“At that point you’re feeling pretty good,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.
The Royals felt even better after Moustakas stepped to the plate in the fifth.
Merrifield got things started in the fifth by pushing a bunt single past starter Jordan Montgomery. One out later, Alcides Escobar walked for the fifth time this season.
That brought up Moustakas. From a power perspective, he’s off to his best start this season, a pace to approach 40 homers, which would be a team record. But seven of Moustakas’ first eight blasts were of the solo variety.
But in Sunday’s victory over the Orioles, Moustakas crushed a three-run homer, and he matched that Thursday against the Yankees.
Off the bat, it looked like a no-doubter, but the ball, hit into a strong wind, just cleared the wall with the 6-foot-7 Judge making a leaping attempt at a catch.
“When I saw him going back to get it I kind of got nervous,” Moustakas said. “I knew I hit it pretty good, but when I saw him going back and start climbing the fence … thankfully he didn’t grab it.”
Duffy had recorded two victories in his first three starts this season but had none to show for in his previous five. The Royals went 1-4 in those starts and were shut out three times in those games.
Thursday, facing a possible sweep by a Yankees team that had pounded out 18 runs and 29 hits over the first two games, the Royals bats came through to support Duffy.
“It’s big,” said Moustakas. “Duffy, that’s what we need from our ace. We were going through a little skid and we needed him to do exactly what he did.”
Mike Moustakas’ 10th home run keeps him on pace to break dubious record
May 19, 2017By Vahe Gregorian/KC Star
The Royals are 17-23 but a mere 4 1/2 games out of first place in the accommodating American League Central after their 5-1 victory over the New York Yankees on Thursday at Kauffman Stadium.
A 10-day road trip looms, as do personnel decisions.
So, it’s the day-in, day-out journey of the season that absorbs Royals manager Ned Yost, and trivialities like the peculiar and uninspiring Royals record for home runs in a season aren’t of much interest to him.