NewsRoyals can't find big hit in I-70 opener
Davies turns in solid start, but bats silenced vs. Cards
By Dick Kaegel / MLB.com
05/23/09 1:02 AM ET
ST. LOUIS -- Round 1 of the I-70 Series went to the St. Louis Cardinals, 5-0, over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night.
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On the east end of Missouri's I-70 corridor, the Cardinals used tight pitching by Todd Wellemeyer and the bullpen to treat a sellout crowd at Busch Stadium to their fourth straight victory. The Royals, though, lost for the 10th time in the past 13 games.
They're searching.
"I think we just need to find the inner fire, that fire that you're coming out to win a ballgame," center fielder Coco Crisp said. "And that fire that, after you lose a ballgame, you use to fuel some energy."
The Royals mustered a mere five hits and their biggest chance to break through came in the seventh inning, but that opportunity was squandered.
Wellemeyer, a Royals bullpen castaway claimed on waivers by the Cardinals in 2007, was effective through six-plus shutout innings.
But when Wellemeyer walked Mike Jacobs and John Buck singled to start the seventh, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa went to the bullpen for left-hander Trever Miller. David DeJesus successfully put down a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners to scoring position.
La Russa then made another move and brought in a fireman with some real fire. Jason Motte arrived throwing pure heat, and Willie Bloomquist, batting for Mike Aviles, struck out on three pitches. He didn't pull the trigger as he gazed at a 99-mph bullet for a called third strike.
"He threw the old country fastball by me. I was looking for it," Bloomquist said. "It had some pretty good giddyup on it, but I still expected to at least put a ball in play right there and get a run. ... A good at-bat there maybe changes that game."
Billy Butler then pinch-hit for Royals pitcher Kyle Davies. On the fourth pitch, Butler swung and missed at another 99-mph heater from Motte.
"I was put in a big spot and I didn't come through," Butler said. "He was throwing hard, but I've seen hard before. He made some good pitches."
Royals manager Trey Hillman had Tuesday's stirring comeback win over Cleveland in mind when he selected Bloomquist to bat for Aviles. Bloomquist had driven in the winning run with a sacrifice fly and also was hitting .320 to Aviles' .188.
"When you've got a guy coming in there throwing 95, 99 [mph], you want a guy up there that has a little more confidence just because he's got more numbers," Hillman said.
Butler was available on the bench because, at National League ballparks, there is no designated hitter, and Hillman thought Jacobs was a better matchup as the first baseman against Wellemeyer.
Motte, a former catcher from Iona College, also pitched a 1-2-3 eighth. Kyle McClellan finished up with a scoreless ninth.
For his part, Davies pitched very well. After giving up two runs in the first inning, he retired 15 consecutive batters. Until -- you guessed it -- Albert Pujols lined a 2-1 pitch into left field with two outs in the sixth. Even though Chris Duncan followed with a walk, nothing came of it as Nick Stavinoha grounded out.
The Cardinals struck in the first as Brian Barden singled and Pujols walked. They advanced as Duncan grounded out and scored on Stavinoha's single to left.
"I gave him a good curveball and he hit it, pulled it into left field. It was a really good pitch," Davies said.
The Royals' bullpen faltered. Horacio Ramirez took over for Davies and gave up a solo home run to Tyler Greene in the seventh. In the eighth, the Cardinals loaded the bases with no outs on Skip Schumaker's single, Brian Barden's double and an intentional walk to Pujols. After Duncan fouled out, Kyle Farnsworth relieved Ramirez.
Pinch-hitter Khalil Greene drilled Farnsworth's first pitch, a slider, into left field for a two-run single.
The Royals just haven't been able to keep the embers burning from that fiery ninth-inning comeback they inflicted upon the Indians. They've lost all three games since.
"The chemistry's here," Crisp said. "We've just got to figure out a way to channel this out on the field."
Dick Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
