Jason Hammel is now 0-6 over his last seven road starts. He gave up two of the three homers that Tampa Bay hit and allowed seven runs, six earned over seven innings in a blowout 12-1 loss on Wednesday night. Peter Moylan mopped up the eighth and gave up five runs including a grand slam to Colby Rasmus.
Hammel has not produced the way the Royals had hoped for and the team hasn’t responded when he takes the mound, losing six of his first seven starts. Hammel has only allowed fewer then three runs a start in two games. A 3-1 win last Friday against Cleveland, and a 2-1 loss back in April to San Francisco at home.
Hammel is trying to keep his head up after this latest loss.
“We needed innings, first and foremost, and if there is any consolation, that was one thing where I did my job,” Hammel said.
The Royals didn’t do much against Rays starter Chris Archer who pitched eight shutout innings. The only spark the Royals showed was when Salvador Perez was hit by a pitch in the seventh inning. Archer says it’s wasn’t malicious, but Salvy felt it was intentional.
“Yeah, of course he threw at me. He’s going to throw at me because I had two hits against him,” Perez said. “I think he was mad. I don’t think that’s the right way.”