BALTIMORE -- The Royals picked a strange way to end their scoreless streak at 17 innings.
With runners on first and second and one out in the seventh in a 4-1 loss to the Orioles on Monday night, Jarrod Dyson chopped a grounder to Orioles shortstop Manny Machado, who flipped to second baseman Jonathan Schoop for a forceout.
But as Schoop turned to throw to first, it appeared he realized he was not going to get Dyson at first on a double play, so Schoop tried to hold back his throw. Instead, the ball left Schoop's hand and it spiked into sliding baserunner Cheslor Cuthbert's right elbow. Paulo Orlando scored from second base on the play as the ball bounced high and rolled around the infield.
"I have never seen anything like that in all my years," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "I could see what [Schoop] was trying to do -- hold off from throwing."
Fortunately for Cuthbert, he sustained only a contusion on his elbow -- more accurately, his funny bone, Yost said.
"I think if I can throw [Tuesday], I can play," Cuthbert said. "It's not bad."
Cuthbert was looked at by the Royals training staff, and did not return to the game in the bottom of the inning. Whit Merrifield, who had been playing second base, moved to third. Omar Infante came in to play second.
"I thought at first it was a fake throw to first [by Schoop]," Cuthbert said. "But then he threw it and I didn't see it. I just put my elbow up."