Royals slowed after Whit's inside-the-park HR

Keller labors through 6 IPs as Jackson quiets KC offense

August 10th, 2019

DETROIT -- Royals super-utility man got his Friday night off to a solid start with his second inside-the-park home run this season, this one off Tigers right-hander Edwin Jackson to lead off the game at Comerica Park.

But that was pretty much it for the Royals’ offense in a 5-2 loss. Kansas City has lost nine of its last 10.

Merrifield, who also had an inside-the-park homer on July 17 at Kauffman Stadium, sent a deep drive over center fielder Victor Reyes’ head. The ball caromed away from Reyes and Merrifield zipped around the bases -- his 13th home run this season.

“I saw it hit off the wall and I wasn’t sure how much it kicked off,” Merrifield said. “So I just started running. As soon as Jirsch [third-base coach Mike Jirschele] started waving me, I knew it had kicked pretty good because first inning, first batter, he’s not going to wave me unless he’s sure.”

Royals manager Ned Yost was convinced his club might be in for a big night offensively.

“Whit slams it off the wall and you’re thinking we got a chance for an inside-the-parker,” Yost said. “Those are always fun and exciting to see. We’re up 1-0 there and off to a good start, and you’re thinking let’s add on. But we couldn’t until the ninth.”

It was the Royals’ third inside-the-park homer this season -- had the other.

According to Statcast, Merrifield reached a sprint speed of 28.9 feet/second (above the MLB average of 27). He circled the bases in 14.99 seconds.

Merrifield became the first Royals hitter with multiple inside-the-park homers in a season since Mark Teahen in 2008.

Still, Merrifield said he prefers the conventional home runs over the fence.

“I love them,” Merrifield said of the inside-the-park variety. “I’ll take them every time. But they’re exhausting.”

Unfortunately for the Royals, they did little else against the 35-year-old Jackson, who gave up just one run over 6 1/3 innings. Jorge Soler clubbed his 32nd homer in the ninth on a line drive to left off Tigers reliever John Schreiber. Kansas City had two on with two out and the potential tying run at the plate, but Joe Jimenez retired Nicky Lopez on a flyout to end the game.

“I was pretty impressed,” Yost said. “He’s still got good stuff, 95-mph fastball, good slider. It was tough to see the first couple of innings. I thought once the shadows went away we’d have a better chance. But he executed his pitches really well. We hit some balls right on the nose, but right at people."

“He throws hard," Merrifield said. "He had a little cut to his fastball and it would sink at times, too. He was in the zone. You can see why he’s been around so long.”

Royals starter Brad Keller, who had been 3-2 with a 2.29 ERA in five starts since the All-Star break, struggled with his command early.

Keller walked two in the first inning before giving up a bloop two-run single to Dawel Lugo. The right-hander kept his team close through five innings. But a 1-2 slider to Jake Rogers in the sixth was sent screaming into the left-field seats. Two singles and a wild pitch in the same inning made it 5-1 Tigers.

“He was battling all night,” Yost said of Keller. “He was grinding. Just wasn’t exceptionally sharp.”