Bobby Keppel pitched like he had been doing this for years. Instead, the Royals rookie was making his debut on the road for a team that avoids road wins like the plague. Keppel threw 6 2/3 innings allowing two runs on six hits.

That might’ve been good enough for a win except the Royals were blanked by Mariners starter Jamie Moyer. Kansas City hazed their rookie starter by giving him two hits and no runs of support on their way to a 4-0 loss.

Keppel can’t blame the whole game on the position players. After looking like a Cy Young type pitcher through six, his first two pitches in the seventh ended up as souvenirs. Jose Lopez and Raul Ibanez hit back-to-back home runs to get Seattle on the board.

Kansas City was shutout for the second game in a row and the sixth time this year. Only once in the game did they avoid going three up, three down. That was in the fifth inning when they sent four to the plate.

The Royals are 13-39 and have the worst record in the majors.