Kila Ka'aihue hits first home run for Kansas City Royals in loss to Detroit Tigers

Last night (August 24), the Kansas City Royals star prospect Kila Ka'aihue (Ky-uh-HOO-A) hit his first home run of the 2010 season.  The homer came in the top of the ninth inning of a game in which the Royals were already trailing the Detroit Tigers by a score of 9-0.  Ka'aihue's solo shot made the final score 9-1.

Starter Kyle Davies allowed the lead-off batter to reach base in each of his four-plus innings of work.  He was able to limit the damage to only one run in the first three innings.  Then, in the fourth, the Tigers added two runs.  Davies pitched into the fifth inning, giving up four runs and recording two outs before being lifted for a reliever.  Detroit would add two more runs in the sixth.  Ka'aihue's solo shot was the lone Kansas City run.

Ka'aihue has played in 19 games since being called up after the Royals traded outfielder/designated hitter Jose Guillen to make room for the star prospect.  But, Ka'aihue hasn't been quite what the Royals thought they were getting.  After hitting 24 home runs and driving in 78 runs in 94 games at Triple-A Omaha this year, Kansas City was probably hoping for more than a .164 batting average with one home run and three RBI in 19 games so far.

Though the lack of production from Ka'aihue won't cost the Royals a playoff spot or anything close to that, fans will start drawing comparisons to a similar big name prospect who hasn't panned out for them so far, Alex Gordon.  If Ka'aihue doesn't start producing more, he might start feeling more pressure, and that's never good for a young player who is trying to take his talents to South Beach... oops, I mean, the next level.

Ka'aihue has one other career Major League home run.  It came back in 2008 during a brief 12 game September call up.