Offense still can’t get it together as Royals fall to Giants 3-2

The Royals manage just seven hits.

The Royals managed just two runs on seven hits and a defensive miscue cost them in a 3-2 loss to the Giants on Tuesday night.

The Royals managed to strike first with a run in the third inning off Giants pitcher Hayden Birdsong, who was making his first start of the year. Drew Waters led off with a single, then the Giants began to play like a Little League team. Birdsong’s attempted pickoff throw was wild, allowing Waters to move to second. He advanced to third when Birdsong uncorked a wild pitch. Kyle Isbel lofted a sac fly to make it 1-0 Royals.

Michael Lorenzen was pretty solid, although he couldn’t get through five innings. His only real blemish was a triple in the fourth allowed to Willy Adames on a ball smashed to deep right center field. That scored Heliot Ramos, and Adames would score himself on a single by Casey Schmitt to make it 2-1 Giants.

In the fifth, Mike Yastrzemski led off with an infield single that Lorenzen couldn’t convert. Wilmer Flores hit a potential double play grounder to Vinnie Pasquantino, but his throw to second was wild, putting runners on the corners with no outs. Jung-Hoo Lee made it pay with a single up the middle to make it 3-1. Lorenzen struck out the next two batters before exiting, having given up three earned runs in 4 ²⁄₃ innings with five strikeouts.

The Royals pulled within a run in the eighth, although it felt like they had an opportunity for more. Pinch-hitter Hunter Renfroe led off with a double - yes it’s true! He advanced to third on a Jonathan India groundout and scored on an infield single legged out by Bobby Witt Jr. But the rally was squelched when Witt was caught stealing at second, and Vinnie Pasquantino was called out on a strike three that appeared to be well below the zone.

The Royals got some solid bullpen performances from Angel Zerpa, Steven Cruz, Evan Sisk, and Jonathan Bowlan, who combined for 3 ¹⁄₃ scoreless innings with just one hit and two walks allowed. Giants closer Ryan Walker retired Royals hitters 1-2-3 in the ninth to nail down his ninth save of the year. The Royals have scored just ten runs in their last five games.

The Royals fall to 27-23, but can still take the series tomorrow afternoon. Logan Webb will go for the Giants, while the Royals have yet to announce a starter.