Royals battle but come up short against Seattle

The Royals loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth against Seattle cloesr David Aardsma, but just as Ichiro started the game with heroics, he ended the game with a great catch in foul territory to kill the Royals final chance in a 7-6 loss.

John Buck hit one down the right field line and Ichiro  chased it down and slid into the wall down the right-field line while making the catch and avoided the tarp.  The game went back and forth through the first six innings.  The Royals took a 3-1 lead after two innings, and rallying for a 5-4 lead after five frames.

Down, 5-4, the Mariners scratched out two runs against the Royals’ bullpen in the sixth inning and added another in the seventh.  John Bale replaced Luke Hochevar, and  allowed two hits around a walk by Ichiro.  Bale left with the game tied 5-5.  He gave way to Jamey Wright who let in another to give Seattle the 6-5 lead. 

The Royals battled back in the bottom of the sixth when Mariner Yuniesky Betancourt pulled the Royals even at 6 with an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth, but Seattle struck again with another run against Wright in the seventh.  Bentancourt went 2-3 on the night and drove in two runs. 

Hochevar went five innings allowing four runs on seven hits with two walks.  He also allowed a lead off homer to Ichiro on the second pitch of the game.  Hochevar also struck out eight.