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AL: Royals stop Rays
By The Associated Press
Friday, July 25, 2008 | No comments posted.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Gil Meche’s arms and hands were coated with sweat, his rhythm completely off from spending so much time trying to dry off.
It took three innings, but Meche finally overcame the sweating — and started pitching.
Meche threw seven scoreless innings after a sweaty, shaky start and John Buck drove in two runs, helping the Kansas City Royals hold off Tampa Bay 4-2 on Thursday night to extend the AL East-leading Rays’ road losing streak to seven games.
“I just kept going to the back of the mound to see if I could do it,” Meche said of drying off. “I kind of got into a rhythm in the middle of the game; I quit sweating, my arm stayed dry and I picked up my tempo, which is kind of what helped me.”
Meche (8-9) had a miserable first inning in the heat, needing 26 minutes and 31 pitches to get out of it. He did it without giving up a run, though, getting Carlos Pena to fly out with runners on first and third.
Meche had a few more problems in the second inning, then got into a rhythm — and his arms dry — not allowing a runner past first base the rest of the way.
The right-hander gave up five hits and walked one, beating an AL East team for the first time in seven starts this season.
“He didn’t start off very good, obviously, way too many pitches, having trouble putting hitters away,” Royals manager Trey Hillman said. “It was really impressive to see him make up for it, getting ahead in the count and staying ahead. It took him three to get it going, but he stuck with it once he got it going.”
Rays starter Matt Garza (8-6) was coming off a solid outing, allowing two hits in 7 2-3 scoreless innings against Toronto. But he had to follow it with a game against Kansas City, a team he can’t seem to beat no matter what he does.
The right-hander entered with a respectable 3.42 ERA in four career starts against the Royals, but was 0-3. Garza’s tough luck against the Royals continued as he allowed four runs, eight hits and four walks in five innings.
Roy Halladay (12-7)scattered seven hits over seven innings in the regularly scheduled game and the Blue Jays reached the .500 mark (51-51). In the completion of the suspended game, which halted by rain in the sixth inning Wednesday, the Toronto bullpen allowed two hits over four innings.
Halladay gave up one run, struck out six and walked one in Toronto’s 7-1 win. He took over the major league lead in innings pitched (159 1-3) and lowered his ERA to 2.82. Halladay is 18-4 lifetime against the Orioles, who fell a season-worst five games under .500 (48-53).
Adam Lind and Marco Scutaro both had three hits for the Blue Jays, who won three of four from Baltimore after losing their previous seven series on the road.
A.J. Burnett (11-9) gave up one run and six hits, striking out seven, in five innings Wednesday night. The Blue Jays took a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth before play was suspended by a thunderstorm. Jesse Carlson, Shawn Camp and Scott Downs finished it a day later.
It took three innings, but Meche finally overcame the sweating — and started pitching.
Meche threw seven scoreless innings after a sweaty, shaky start and John Buck drove in two runs, helping the Kansas City Royals hold off Tampa Bay 4-2 on Thursday night to extend the AL East-leading Rays’ road losing streak to seven games.
“I just kept going to the back of the mound to see if I could do it,” Meche said of drying off. “I kind of got into a rhythm in the middle of the game; I quit sweating, my arm stayed dry and I picked up my tempo, which is kind of what helped me.”
Meche (8-9) had a miserable first inning in the heat, needing 26 minutes and 31 pitches to get out of it. He did it without giving up a run, though, getting Carlos Pena to fly out with runners on first and third.
Meche had a few more problems in the second inning, then got into a rhythm — and his arms dry — not allowing a runner past first base the rest of the way.
The right-hander gave up five hits and walked one, beating an AL East team for the first time in seven starts this season.
“He didn’t start off very good, obviously, way too many pitches, having trouble putting hitters away,” Royals manager Trey Hillman said. “It was really impressive to see him make up for it, getting ahead in the count and staying ahead. It took him three to get it going, but he stuck with it once he got it going.”
Rays starter Matt Garza (8-6) was coming off a solid outing, allowing two hits in 7 2-3 scoreless innings against Toronto. But he had to follow it with a game against Kansas City, a team he can’t seem to beat no matter what he does.
The right-hander entered with a respectable 3.42 ERA in four career starts against the Royals, but was 0-3. Garza’s tough luck against the Royals continued as he allowed four runs, eight hits and four walks in five innings.
Blue Jays 5, Orioles 1,
Blue Jays 7, Orioles 1
Blue Jays 7, Orioles 1
Roy Halladay (12-7)scattered seven hits over seven innings in the regularly scheduled game and the Blue Jays reached the .500 mark (51-51). In the completion of the suspended game, which halted by rain in the sixth inning Wednesday, the Toronto bullpen allowed two hits over four innings.
Halladay gave up one run, struck out six and walked one in Toronto’s 7-1 win. He took over the major league lead in innings pitched (159 1-3) and lowered his ERA to 2.82. Halladay is 18-4 lifetime against the Orioles, who fell a season-worst five games under .500 (48-53).
Adam Lind and Marco Scutaro both had three hits for the Blue Jays, who won three of four from Baltimore after losing their previous seven series on the road.
A.J. Burnett (11-9) gave up one run and six hits, striking out seven, in five innings Wednesday night. The Blue Jays took a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth before play was suspended by a thunderstorm. Jesse Carlson, Shawn Camp and Scott Downs finished it a day later.
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