It seems we don’t talk much about the Royals in the this state, but the strides they’ve made despite a rash of injuries early and a twelve game losing streak have not gone unnoticed here. This club is only seven games under .500 after last night’s 9-1 win over the Minnesota Twins.
Catcher Salvador Perez, one of those key injuries extended his hitting streak to 15 games and he threw out two guys trying to steal. Eric Hosmer and Lorenzo Cain was a home run shy of the cycle, while driving in two runs.
Rookie pitcher Will Smith, auditioning for a spot in the 2013 rotation, pitched seven scoreless innings. He allowed seven hits, three walks and struck out seven. Smith is now 5-7 with a 4.94 ERA.
The Royals are 64-77 and will most likely finish third in the AL Central behind the Detroit Tigers, favored to win the division, and the surprising Chicago White Sox who have two game lead over Detroit. That third place finish is certainly something to build on for next season…it’s better than the last place finishes Royals fans have grown accustomed to.
