NewsKC, Hochevar overmatched vs. Halos
Young Royals relievers make good showings in MLB debuts
By Dick Kaegel / MLB.com
09/06/09 7:19 PM ET
KANSAS CITY -- Really, the Royals shouldn't invite the Los Angeles Angels to come over. They're such rude guests.With a 7-2 victory on Sunday, the Angels won for the 23rd time in their past 28 games at Kauffman Stadium, dating to 2003. They've won all six games here this year and there's still another one to go on Labor Day.
Actually, home or away, the first-place Angels have been tough for the Royals this season. Counting a three-game sweep at Anaheim, they're a perfect 9-0.
"They're a good team, they don't have many holes," said the Royals' Mark Teahen. "They play good defense, have good team speed, drive the ball. I mean, they're a very good team and that would explain why we lost some of those games. Obviously we've got to do better than that."
Pulling the welcome mat away seemed like a good idea.
"They're not invited to the birthday party," said Teahen, who turned 28 on Sunday.
The Angels made quick work of right-hander Luke Hochevar. By the fourth inning he was out of the game and when the audit was in, his damage was seven runs on nine hits and two walks.
A four-run second inning was started by Gary Matthews Jr.'s single and featured RBI hits by Mike Napoli, Howard Kendrick, Erick Aybar and Bobby Abreu. Aybar's hit was a triple, his second of the game, which tied an Angels' club record. Their last two-triple game was by Reggie Williams on June 30, 1999, against Texas.
The Angels picked up three more runs in the fourth. Abreu knocked out Hochevar with a two-run double that upped the score to 6-1.
Hochevar's problem?
"Leaving pitches flat and out over the plate," Royals manager Trey Hillman said. "Especially, obviously, in the two innings where they squared him up and scored the runs."
When Hochevar left, an uplifting subplot began to play out for the Royals. Left-hander Dusty Hughes, just up from Triple-A Omaha, relieved him and made his Major League debut. Torii Hunter greeted him with a run-scoring single.
Oh, but hold on.
After that, Hughes pitched like an old veteran. He got Kendry Morales to end the inning and then posted four shutout innings, interrupted only by two walks and a hit batter. He struck out five.
So, to the satisfaction of 16,745 fans, Hughes' line read 4 1/3 innings with just one hit and no runs. He threw 62 pitches, 35 of them strikes.
"I didn't give up any runs myself. I gave up an inherited run, Hochevar's run, and I really feel bad about that," Hughes said.
What he also felt on this fine 73-degree afternoon was a severe case of first-game nerves.
"I didn't really feel my legs until about the third inning I was out there," Hughes said. "It took a while for me to stop shaking. But it was awesome."
Hillman thought so.
"When you bring a guy into that situation and it's their Major League debut, you take extra notice of what you think their heart rate is and the look in their eyes and he wasn't intimidated," Hillman said. "Of course, it wasn't an extremely threatening situation, but it's still a Major League game and he's still facing a very good club."
Hughes was asked what he might remember most about his initiation into the big leagues.
"I guess getting out Kendry Morales for my first out to end the inning and then striking out Bobby Abreu was obviously a big one, too. That was kind of nice to strike out a guy who's been around quite a while and is a possible Hall of Famer that's a really, really good player," Hughes said.
Victor Marte, also up from Omaha, got his first taste of the Majors as well. He took over in the ninth inning and, after Aybar led off with a single and Abreu walked, stormy weather loomed.
"It was good to see Victor pitch out of the jam that he put himself into with the hit and the walk," Hillman said.
Sure enough, an umbrella popped up. Marte struck out Hunter and, with Aybar trying to steal third, catcher Brayan Pena threw him out for a double play. Morales grounded out and Marte got away clean.
"The first pitch I felt a little bit nervous, but after the third pitch everything was good," Marte said.
Meantime, the Royals were gathering 10 hits against Angels left-hander Joe Saunders in his 5 1/3 innings, but the yield was a mere two runs. The Royals got an RBI single from Pena in the third inning and a leadoff home run from Miguel Olivo in the fourth. The homer was Olivo's 18th this season.
That was it. The Angels had come to the Royals' home and slipped a whoopee cushion under them. Such manners.
Dick Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
