NewsRoyals' late rally comes up short in Chicago
Jacobs' pinch-hit three-run homer in eighth goes for naught
By Jesse Temple / MLB.com
08/18/09 1:48 AM ET
CHICAGO -- Mike Jacobs' screaming, game-tying pinch-hit home run over the right-field wall was a no doubter for the Royals on Monday night.If only the outcome of the game could have been so certain.
Jacobs' three-run blast off reliever Scott Linebrink in the top of the eighth inning briefly lifted the spirits of his ballclub, but the Royals allowed a run in the bottom half and fell, 8-7, to the White Sox in the series opener at U.S. Cellular Field following a 58-minute rain delay.
Royals reliever John Bale surrendered the go-ahead run on a Scott Podsednik single to center that scored Alex Rios from second. Bale had entered the game one batter earlier after reliever Roman Colon issued a walk to Rios.
"They did what good teams do," Jacobs said of the White Sox. "Once that happened, the momentum shifted right to us. They did a great job of not putting their heads down, and they went right back out like good teams do and scored a quick run."
In absorbing the loss, the Royals fell 26 games under .500 (46-72), tying their high-water mark for the season.
It was an unfortunate way to end after the Royals clawed their way back into the game against the White Sox (61-58) despite blowing leads on two separate occasions.
With his team trailing, 7-4, Royals manager Trey Hillman sent Jacobs in to pinch-hit for Yuniesky Betancourt in the eighth. Betancourt already had homered in the second inning, but Hillman went with the power-hitting Jacobs anyway. Jacobs responded by belting his team-leading 17th home run on a fastball down the middle. The blast scored Mark Teahen and Mitch Maier, both of whom coaxed two-out walks off Linebrink.
"I don't want to say I was sitting on a pitch," Jacobs said. "As hitters, you always go up there looking for a fastball. He obviously walked Mitch on four straight. I just went up there thinking, 'He's not going to take a chance and try to get behind right away.' I just told myself to be ready for a heater and don't be late. Obviously, I wasn't. I was able to hit the homer and put us right back in the game."
In the bottom of the frame, however, Colon walked Rios, and that spelled trouble for Kansas City. Following a sacrifice bunt that moved Rios over to second, Hillman sent Bale into the contest to face pinch-hitter Mark Kotsay and Podsednik. Bale downed Kotsay on a swinging strikeout before allowing a single back up the box to Podsednik. Center fielder Josh Anderson grabbed the ball but struggled to get it out of his glove, allowing Rios just enough time to slide by Anderson's throw to the plate.
Afterward, Hillman said he did not regret his decision to insert Bale, who entered with a 6.20 ERA, into the game.
"I had the matchup we wanted," Hillman said. "Unfortunately, several of these guys have been wailing on left-handed pitching here recently. We got Johnny ready in case they pinch-hit, and they pinch-hit. He did his job against Kotsay. He fell behind Posdednik and his numbers off left-handed pitching have been outstanding, but he was only 1-for-6 off Johnny. I liked the matchup. I'd do it again and take my chances with it. But once you fall behind, he just left a pitch out over the plate a little too much."
Royals starter Brian Bannister did not pitch poorly -- as he had in his previous two starts when he allowed 14 earned runs over 10 innings -- but he also was not especially sharp. He lasted seven innings, allowing seven runs -- six earned -- on 10 hits with six strikeouts and three walks.
The Royals spotted Bannister a 3-0 lead in the top of the second off White Sox ace Mark Buehrle, thanks in part to Betancourt's two-run home run.
In the bottom of the second, Bannister gave Betancourt's runs right back, surrendering a two-run home run into the left-field bullpen from Jayson Nix to trim the lead to 3-2. And in the fourth, he allowed a Podsednik double to right-center field, which scored Alexei Ramirez from first to tie the game at 3.
"I'm fighting my way through this," Bannister said. My team played awesome behind me tonight. They hit the ball, they fielded the ball. I know out there, my pitches aren't sinking. I know what I need to do. I just haven't gotten there yet."
Once more, the Royals handed Bannister a lead in the fifth inning, this one 4-3, courtesy of a Billy Butler single to center field that scored Willie Bloomquist. Bloomquist doubled earlier in the inning and moved to third on Brayan Pena's groundout.
In the bottom of the sixth, however, Chicago took the lead for the first time. Carlos Quentin began the inning with a hit-by-pitch from Bannister. Rios then doubled to right, and Teahen's misplay of the ball allowed Quentin to score, tying the game at 4. The blunder also allowed Rios to move to third. Ramirez then lofted a deep fly ball to left field, allowing Rios to score for a 5-4 White Sox lead.
White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski extended the lead in the seventh with a long two-run home run to right field, and it appeared that Bannister was headed for his third straight loss. That is, until Jacobs' late game heroics temporarily breathed life into the Royals.
Jesse Temple is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
