Daily Clips
May 24, 2017
LOCAL
Royals sock it to Yanks with 4 late home runs
May 24, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan and Bryan Hoch/MLB.com
Royals get over wall after several deep flyouts
May 24, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
Royals will welcome back Gordon vs. Yanks
May 24, 2017By Matthew Martell/MLB.com
Kennedy likely to start Friday against Indians
Almonte being considered for Thursday's finale against Yanks
May 24, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
Royals hit four home runs, rough up the Yankees in 6-2 win in the Bronx
May 24, 2017By Rustin Dodd/MLB.com
Royals notebook: Miguel Almonte could make first career start on Thursday
May 24, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star
Five things to know about Royals pitcher Jason Hammel
May 23, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star
The Royals lose to the Yankees; why pitch to Gregorius?
May 24, 2017By Lee Judge/KC Star
MINORS
Sounds Silence Chasers 10-0 in Series Opener
Daniel Mengden shuts down Omaha in Nashville
May 24, 2017Omaha Storm Chasers
JunisMondesi Activated Among Roster Moves
RHP Andrew Edwards also reistated from DL, joins Wilmington
May 24, 2017Omaha Storm Chasers
The Naturals game against Frisco on May 23 has been suspended
The game will resume starting in the bottom of the fifth on Wednesday, May 24 at 11:05 a.m.
May 24, 2017Northwest Arkansas Naturals
Castillo, Blue Rocks Shutout Hillcats
Blue Rocks Back Over .500 with Win
May 24, 2017By Cory Nidoh/Wilmington Blue Rocks
Game suspended, to be completed Wednesday
Seven-inning game will follow completion of suspended game
May 24, 2017Lexington Legends
MLB TRANSACTIONS
May 24, 2017 •.CBSSports.com
LOCAL
Royals sock it to Yanks with 4 late home runs
May 24, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan and Bryan Hoch/MLB.com
A pair of big swings by Lorenzo Cain and rookie Jorge Bonifacio helped break up what had been a taut pitching duel for the first six innings, with the Royals hitting four homers to power past the Yankees in a 6-2 victory on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.
Rookie Jordan Montgomery carried a one-hit shutout into the seventh before Cain cleared the wall, and Bonifacio gave Kansas City its first lead with a two-run shot to right-center off Adam Warren. Whit Merrifield and Mike Moustakas added long balls in the eighth to extend the Royals' lead.
The late support boosted Danny Duffy to his fourth victory, as the left-hander defeated the Yankees for the second time in less than a week. Aaron Hicks and Chris Carter hit solo homers off Duffy, who scattered six hits over seven innings. Duffy struck out seven while walking three.
"I felt like my heater was better today than it was all season," Duffy said. "I missed some spots. The Hicks home run was right where I wanted it to be. He just went out and got it."
Duffy's fastball indeed averaged 94.4 mph per Statcast™ -- his previous high average was 93.4 this season.
Montgomery settled for a no-decision in his eighth big league start, permitting a run on two hits over 6 2/3 innings. He walked none and struck out six, crediting improved fastball command for his strong effort.
"It's a quality outing. That's all I can do," Montgomery said. "We'll bounce back tomorrow and try to win the series."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
End of the line: Duffy blanked the Yanks over seven innings last week in Kansas City and continued that run into Tuesday's outing, facing the minimum over the first three frames. Hicks finally broke through with his homer to right field, snapping a string of 10 1/3 scoreless innings hurled by Duffy against New York this year. It was the first home run off Duffy in 51 2/3 innings, which had been the longest active streak in the Major Leagues.
"That's a tough lineup," Duffy said. "I just found something a couple bullpens ago with my slider and it's been working … but tonight I just think I had good life on the fastball."
More fun for Bonifacio: Bonifacio, who homered in his first at-bat at the Stadium on Monday, delivered a two-run shot to right field off Warren during the three-run rally in the seventh. Bonifacio's home run, his sixth, zipped over the fence at 104 mph, according to Statcast™, and traveled a projected 370 feet. Earlier, Bonifacio hit a 399-foot fly to left-center that was caught.
"I felt like I just got hurt on one pitch," Warren said. "I thought the pitch to [Salvador Perez] was a decent pitch and he found a hole. Then just one pitch got me, but that's the game. That's what it is in those situations. I've just got to be a little better."
"I was looking fastball all the way," Bonifacio said. "I knew [it was gone]."
IN CONCLUSION
Yankees manager Joe Girardi was displeased by a game-ending double play in which Merrifield attempted to tag Carter on a ground ball to second base but missed. Carter was ruled to have been out of the baseline, and the play was not reviewable.
"[Carter's] in the dirt. It's just a poor call," Girardi said. "It's frustrating. It's going to be two outs in that situation, but you still have a chance."
WHAT'S NEXT
Royals: Right-hander Jason Hammel (1-5, 6.20 ERA) will try to get back on track as he takes the mound on Wednesday at 6:05 p.m. CT. Hammel last pitched on May 16 -- also against the Yankees -- when he gave up five hits and nine runs in six innings.
Yankees: Right-hander Luis Severino (2-2, 3.64 ERA) will make his ninth start of the season on Wednesday as the Yanks host the Royals at 7:05 p.m. ET. Severino has completed just 7 1/3 innings over his last two starts after logging at least seven innings in four of his five previous outings.
Royals get over wall after several deep flyouts
May 24, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
For several innings in Tuesday night's 6-2 win, the Royals kept pounding outs to the deepest parts of Yankee Stadium, namely left-center field.
Mike Moustakas sent one a projected 385 feet, according to Statcast™, to the wall in left. Jorge Bonifacio hit one 399 feet to the wall in left-center. Salvador Perez blasted one 373 feet to the wall in left.
All outs.
"I thought mine was out," Bonifacio said.
"I thought I got mine," Moustakas said. "But all you can do it keep hitting it hard."
Then, they started testing the shorter porches in left and right. Four home runs later, the Royals had rallied to even the series at one game apiece.
The home run parade started when Lorenzo Cain jolted a Jordan Montgomery fastball to straightaway left in the seventh for his second homer this season.
Then Bonifacio, who is enjoying a tremendous start to his rookie season, belted a two-run homer later in the inning for a 3-2 Royals lead. The ball screeched out at 104 mph to the short porch in straightaway right.
"I'm always looking for a fastball," said Bonifacio, who got a fastball from reliever Adam Warren on the first pitch he saw in the seventh.
The Royals continue to be amazed by Bonifacio, who hit his fourth home run in five games and extended his hitting streak to seven games.
"He's swinging the bat well," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He's covering all pitches well, sliders away, covering all fields. I've been impressed with his at-bats from two Spring Trainings ago. I knew he was close to the big leagues then."
Added Royals starter Danny Duffy, "The kid's been here for 10 years if he's been here a month. He's a fixture in the lineup right now. It's fun to watch his every at-bat."
In the eighth, Whit Merrifield went opposite field to the short porch for his fifth home run of the season. In the same inning, Moustakas sent a high drive down near the right-field pole that appeared to be foul, only to slice back fair.
"I think it did," Moustakas said. "I thought it was going foul then it [sliced] back fair. Pretty weird."
Three of the home runs came off the vaunted Yankees bullpen.
"It's unusual because the [bullpen] has been so good," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "They've done the job almost every time that we've called upon them. Tonight just wasn't their night. They all gave up home runs. It's going to happen from time to time."
The Royals considered the homer barrage a bit of justice.
"We just missed a couple of pitches early," Duffy said, "but never count us out. Not this group."
Royals will welcome back Gordon vs. Yanks
May 24, 2017By Matthew Martell/MLB.com
Royals manager Ned Yost said outfielder Alex Gordon will be activated prior to Wednesday's game against the Yankees after Gordon was placed on paternity leave on Sunday. Gordon and his wife, Jamie, welcomed their third child, and first daughter, Joey Lynn, on Monday.
Gordon, who is batting .175 with no home runs in 39 games this season, will face Yankees right-hander Luis Severino (2-2) in his return. Severino will be making his first career start against the Royals and will be opposed by right-hander Jason Hammel (1-5), who looks to turn his season around.
The Yankees touched Hammel up for five runs in six innings when he faced them eight days before, pushing his ERA to 6.20, the worst mark among Kansas City's starting pitchers. Still, Hammel has had success in the past, most recently with the Cubs last season when he won 15 games and pitched to a 3.83 ERA.
Yankees first baseman Chris Carter said the quality of Hammel's starts depends largely on his slider. The 30-year-old is 4-for-17 lifetime against Hammel with two home runs, though three of those hits came in the pitcher's most recent start, on May 16.
"He's just one of those guys you've got to get him on the plate," Carter said. "He likes to throw his slider a lot, so you've got to get one up in the zone you can hit."
Things to know about this game
• Austin Romine caught each of Severino's previous seven starts. But with starter Gary Sanchez getting a day off on Tuesday night, it's likely that Sanchez will be behind the plate on Wednesday for Severino, not Romine, for the first time since April 7.
• Severino got Rays hitters to whiff at 16 of his 89 pitches in his last outing. That 18-percent swinging-strike rate was a career high for the right-hander in a game with at least 75 pitches.
• The Yankees are slugging .506 in Hammel's six career appearances at the Stadium, which is the third-highest slugging percentage allowed by the right-hander in any Major League ballpark.
Kennedy likely to start Friday against Indians
Almonte being considered for Thursday's finale against Yanks
May 24, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
Royals manager Ned Yost said he now is leaning toward keeping right-hander Ian Kennedy on his regular schedule, meaning Kennedy would start on Friday in the opener of a three-game set in Cleveland.
Yost had hinted on Monday that he was considering going with Kennedy on Thursday for the series finale against the Yankees. Kennedy threw just two innings in his last start on Sunday against the Twins and he could have been an option for Thursday.
But Kennedy just came off the disabled list after a hamstring injury to make that Sunday start.
"Not sure we really want to push him," Yost said. "We'll see."
Yost also indicated that right-hander Miguel Almonte could be an option to start on Thursday. Almonte has a 1.86 ERA for Double-A Northwest Arkansas this season.
Yost said he did not want to bring back right-hander Jake Junis, who started on Sunday in the first game of the doubleheader, on short rest for a Thursday start. Junis was optioned to Triple-A Omaha after that start -- for him to return before 10 days, a corresponding disabled-list move would have to be made.
The Thursday spot in the rotation is open because of the forearm injury to right-hander Nathan Karns. Tests revealed no structural damage to Karns' forearm, but the Royals still are pondering a DL stint for Karns that would be retroactive to Saturday.
The Royals will need to open a roster spot when they activate outfielder Alex Gordon on Wednesday from three-day paternity leave.
In other moves
• Right-hander Al Alburquerque, who was designated for assignment on Sunday, has cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Triple-A Omaha. Alburquerque has the option to reject that assignment.
• Also, left-hander Scott Alexander, who has been on the disabled list because of a strained hamstring, could be sent on a rehab assignment in the next few days, Yost said.
• And infielder/outfielder Hunter Dozier, on the 60-day disabled list, has been sent to Class A Advanced Wilmington to begin his rehab assignment.
Royals hit four home runs, rough up the Yankees in 6-2 win in the Bronx
May 24, 2017By Rustin Dodd/MLB.com
Inside the clubhouse, they call him Boni. The nickname is pronounced like Bonnie, and, yes, it is not overly inventive. It is the first four letters of Jorge Bonifacio’s last name, shortened just so, and uttered just right, and for now, that will do. For in the first 27 games of his young career, the 23-year-old Bonifacio has offered more substance than style.
“The kid has been here for 10 years if he’s been here for a month,” Royals starter Danny Duffy would say.
In that month, Bonifacio, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound outfielder, has sprayed line drives all over the field, collecting base hits and homers, turning heads inside the dugout and front office. On Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium, the rookie of the moment wielded his bat for another evening.
In a 6-2 victory over the Yankees, Bonifacio clubbed his fourth homer in his last five games as the Royals bombarded the Bronx with a dazzling power display. After remaining quiet for six innings, the offense erupted with four homers in the seventh and eighth innings, deadlocking the series at 1-1 with two games to play.
The Royals (19-26) inched back toward .500 as Duffy allowed just two runs in seven innings, lowering his ERA to 2.92.
Facing the prospect of a fourth loss in five days, a beleaguered lineup dusted itself off after six unfruitful innings against Yankees starter Jordan Montgomery and put on an audacious fireworks show. Lorenzo Cain blasted a homer to left field. Whit Merrifield dropped a solo bomb onto the short porch in right. Mike Moustakas elevated a two-run shot to deep right, a spinning golf shot that appeared to hook right before straightening back to the left and inside the right-field foul pole.
The homer represented Moustakas’ 11th of the season, keeping him on pace to break Steve Balboni’s franchise record of 36 homers in a single season. Yet the most momentous swing belonged to another Boni — this one, a Bonifacio — who turned a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead with a two-run blast against Yankees reliever Adam Warren in the top of the seventh.
“All the time, I’m trying to look for fastball,” Bonifacio said. “I’m trying to put a bat on the ball.”
The Royals, of course, were expecting a corner outfielder named Jorge to layer some pop onto the lineup in 2017. It is why they traded one year of closer Wade Davis for four years of slugger Jorge Soler. They were expecting Soler, the marquee offseason acquisition, to offer the juice and not Bonifacio, who now has six homers since being called up from Class AAA Omaha on April 21.
“He’s covering all pitches,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “He’s covering sliders. He’s covering pitches away. He’s hitting the ball to all fields.”
In some ways, of course, the production of Bonifacio has not caught this organization by surprise. Three years ago, Bonifacio was a fringe top-100 prospect, a talented corner outfielder with a pedigree and a decent track record of success in the minors, especially for his precocious age. But the Royals had little room in a crowded outfield during spring training, so Bonifacio headed back to Omaha, where he had excelled in 2016. Even then, Yost says, he knew Bonifacio was close.
“I’ve been impressed with his at-bats as far (back) as two springs ago, watching him in spring training,” Yost said.
As the Royals unleashed their late onslaught, Duffy was the beneficiary. For the second time in a week, he beat the Yankees with a stellar performance. This time, in enemy territory.
Five days earlier, Duffy threw seven scoreless innings against these same Yankees, carrying the Royals to a 5-1 victory on Thursday at Kauffman Stadium. He struck out a season-high 10 batters. He racked up nine of the strikeouts on biting sliders.