Low & Outside: AL Notes
That's one way to do it Those rookie-laden Royals may not be, uh, good, but they sure are entertaining. For example, take Wednesday's 11-inning, 5-4 loss at home to the Texas Rangers, in which Kansas City's pitchers combined to hand out 13 walks.
That's one way to do it
Those rookie-laden Royals may not be, uh, good, but they sure are entertaining. For example, take Wednesday's 11-inning, 5-4 loss at home to the Texas Rangers, in which Kansas City's pitchers combined to hand out 13 walks.
On the plus side, the Royals' rookie rising star Eric Hosmer led off the ninth inning by homering off the first pitch from Rangers closer Neftali Feliz to tie it at 3. After that, Feliz walked the next two batters.
However, Feliz got out of the jam in a novel way, picking off pinch-runners Jarrod Dyson and Mike Aviles at first base, one right after the other, then striking out Wilson Betemit. The Rangers plated two in the top of the 11th, and the Royals couldn't catch up. The back-to-back pick offs hadn't happened since the Chicago Cubs got caught twice by the New York Mets on April 3, 2003, according to STATS LLC.
Rolling the dice on Dice-K
ESPNBoston reports that the Red Sox expect Daisuke Matsuzaka to be out for at least a month with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament and strained flexor, an injury that could mean Tommy John surgery.
Sources say Boston is hoping that Matsuzaka will be able to avoid the surgery - which would sideline him for the rest of the season - and that rehab will do the trick.