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JR House(courtesy Eldon Lindsay/Omaha Royals)
At 23 wins and 30 losses, Omaha is rapidly seeing its season slip away. After a dreadful May, the Royals had to have hoped that June would be a new beginning. Opening the month with a series against a Round Rock Express team that came into town sporting just a 23-29 record had to further embolden the team.
Instead, Omaha continues to struggle at home, having lost eight of its last 10 in Rosenblatt. The rotation continues to improve as the season wears on, but the bullpen continues to be an achilles heel, while the sudden drop in production from the offense has been a large contributor in a stretch that has seen the Royals lose 17 of their last 24.
The story line was no different last night, as Brandon Duckworth pitched eight shutout innings, allowing just four hits and three walks while striking out six. It was the latest in a long line of uneven starts for Brandon, who alternates between awful and outstanding outings. Duckworth’s last time out, he was tagged for nine hits and seven runs in five innings pitched. The start before that, he pitched seven innings of shutout ball, allowing just three hits; and the outing before that he gave up six hits, and eight runs in five.
Duckworth appeared well on his way to his first win since May 10th thanks to his ability to strand any runners he allowed, and the Royals’ solo run, which they came by with a walk by Kila Ka’aihue followed by an RBI double by J.R. House.
Then the game took some absurd turns. Travis Metcalf was thrown out of the game after striking out for the third straight time, this time looking; and had words for the ump. This forced Tommy Murphy to move from right field to third base, something no manager dreams of when trying to hold a 1-0 lead in the ninth with a shaky bullpen.
Victor Marte, who relieved Duckworth after Brandon threw 102 pitches, appeared to be shrugging off his suddenly weaker defense as he struck out Marc Saccomano and got Jason Smith to ground out to second. Then the bottom fell out.
Round Rock catcher J.R. Towles grounded to Murphy whose throw to Ka’aihue was high and Towles dove under the tag, reaching first safely. With Chris Johnson at the plate, Towles took off for second, and catcher Matt Tupman’s throw glanced off Irving Falu’s glove and sailed into center, allowing Towles to reach third. Johnson recorded his third hit in four at bats by tripling over new centerfielder Tim Raines Jr. and tying the game at one.
John Gall finished the comeback with a single into right, scoring Johnson, and giving Round Rock a 2-1 lead.
Omaha attempted its own rally off of Brendan Donnelly in the bottom of the ninth. Irving Falu lead off the inning with a single, and Scott Thorman moved him to second with a sac bunt, but Kila Ka’aihue and J.R. House failed to get Falu in, and Royals lost again.
Omaha’s latest cold streak, teamed with Nashville’s winning their last three has the Royals falling all the way to 6.5 games out of first, their biggest deficit of the season.
Luke Hochevar will take the mound tonight against Round Rock and will attempt to give the Royals their first win in June.
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