Bullpen loses game for Royals

Over 37,000 fans packed Kauffman Stadium to see a pretty good pitching duel between Gil Meche of the Royals and Mark Buehrle of the White Sox. Neither starter would figure in the outcome of the Royals 5-3 loss on Saturday night.  The Royals are 4.5 games out of first place.

Gil Meche pitched seven innings, allowing two runs on just five hits while striking out seven, but his bullpen couldn’t hold down the White Sox.  Juan Cruz lost the game after giving up two runs on three hits and a walk in the ninth inning.

Meche’s curveball was nasty all night, but he ran into trouble in the seventh when the first two Sox hitters reached base and had second and third with no out.  The Sox could only manage a sac fly run to tie the game ending Meche’s night.

John Bale had some fielding issues as the lefty gave up a go-ahead run to the Sox in the 8 ^th , but Miguel Olivo tied the game with a solo home run off Buehrle whose night was over.

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