Duffy looks behind numbers to find positives

KANSAS CITY -- Royals left-hander Danny Duffy's line against the White Sox on Wednesday night doesn't look that good -- five-plus innings and five runs -- but he really didn't think he pitched poorly.

"Two pitches," Duffy said after the Royals' 7-5 victory. "I wish I had two pitches back. The first was that changeup to [Tyler] Flowers that he hit out. He did a really good job of staying back on the ball and he got it. Next time, I'll throw it better."

The Flowers homer was a three-run blast that soared high to left and then appeared to be aided by a wind that at times was blowing in excess of 20 mph.

"Yeah, but I think that would have been a homer on any night," Duffy conceded.

Video: CWS@KC: Flowers launches three-run shot for the lead

Duffy's other mistake pitch, he said, was a slider that he left up to Gordon Beckham, who singled in a run to center field with two outs in the fourth.

"Just a slider that got away," Duffy said. "I just didn't execute."

Early in the game, as Duffy retired the first five hitters he faced, his fastball touched 97 mph to several hitters. Duffy has thrown with that velocity in the past, but he has tried to throttle back the heater until he really needs it.

"It wasn't because I was too amped up," he said. "I'm not doing that anymore. I'm pretty calm."

Duffy walked none and struck out five.

"I don't think he had any main issues," manager Ned Yost said. "He made a mistake to Flowers, throwing that changeup probably too early in the game -- there's nothing to change up from that early. But until the sixth inning, I thought he threw really well."