(photo courtesy of Eldon Lindsay/Omaha Royals)
Bruce Chen wasn’t about to let teammate Heath Phillips show him up. Phillips had thrown a complete game for the Royals two days earlier, and it was apparent that when the veteran righty took the ball in the opening game of the Wednesday night twin bill, he was looking to do the same.
In what can only be described as a classic pitcher’s duel both Chen, and Steve Hammond of the Grizzlies shut down the opposing offenses. However, while Chen was dominating, Hammond was getting himself in and out of trouble, and finally in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Royals were able to push the single run across that would give them the victory.
First baseman Kila Ka’aihue lead off the inning with his team leading 12th double of the season, ripping it down the first base line and hustling all the way. J.R. House immediately followed with a rocket shot up the middle, scoring Ka’aihue easily. Omaha appeared to be setting itself up for a big inning when third baseman Travis Metcalf drew a walk, and one of the newest O-Royals, shortstop Mario Lisson laid down what was supposed to be a sac bunt, and beat the throw after Hammond stumbled coming off the mound to field it.
With the bases loaded and nobody out, the Grizzlies’ pitcher suddenly bared down, striking out Tommy Murphy on three pitches, getting Jose Duarte to ground to third baseman Ryan Rohlinger who threw home to force J.R. House, and had Irving Falu end the inning with a ground out to second.
Stranding the bases loaded had a palpable affect on the crowd at Rosenblatt, anxiety hung in the air as the fans wondered whether that inning was the one that would sink the team. The inability to score more than one run had zero affect on a locked in Bruce Chen. Chen retired 11 Grizzlies in a row through 5.1 innings and when Mason Wald finally got Fresno’s second hit of the night in the top of the sixth, then stole second positioning himself for the potential tying run, Chen struck out Tyler Graham on a check swing, and K’d Eugenio Velez looking to end the inning.
The bottom of the 6th saw the Royals threaten, then waste a scoring opportunity yet again, as Travis Metcalf greeted Grizzlies’ relieve Osiris Matos with a drive that glanced off Velez’s glove in centerfield, resulting in a three base error, and Metcalf standing on third with no out. Mario Lisson followed that with a weak pop to short and Murphy with a shallow fly to center, not deep enough to score Metcalf. Jose Duarte made possibly his best contact as a Royal, ripping a liner to left but was robbed of an extra base hit and RBI by a fantastic over the shoulder grab by Clay Timpner.
For the second time, the Royals had failed to add on despite having a runner on third base with zero outs, and for the second time, Bruce Chen didn’t seem to notice or care. Chen opened the seventh retiring Timpner when he attempted to bunt for a base hit, and Matt Downs grounded out to Metcalf. John Bowker walked, and for a brief moment the Grizzlies had hope, but Chen doused it quickly, getting Ryan Rohlinger to foul out to third, ending the seven inning affair.
Chen tossed the second straight complete game for the Royals, this one slightly shortened due to the double header, but dominant none the less, his final line showed seven innings pitched two hits, zero runs, one walk, and eight strikeouts.
The victory was also the first time the Royals had won consecutive games since a three game streak on May 8th, 9th, and 10th against the Nashville Sounds.
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