KANSAS CITY -- The Royals aren’t going down without a fight.
That was the message shared throughout the clubhouse as the team had another disappointing game, seeing a remarkable rally ultimately fall short in a 10-8 loss to the Astros on Friday night at Kauffman Stadium.
“We’re never out of it,” shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. said. “That’s just how we’re going to go about it throughout the whole entire year.”
The Royals appeared out of it before they even stepped to the plate, trailing 9-0 after the top of the first inning. But they stormed back with five runs in the bottom of the first, three more in the eighth and a solid showing from the bullpen.
Kansas City came within a few inches from tying the game, too. With the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth, pinch-hitter Starling Marte hit a chopper between the mound and shortstop. Houston’s Jeremy Peña had to charge and fire a dart to first base, but it was enough to nab Marte by a split-second, and the call was upheld after review.
That was as close as the Royals would get, as the team dropped to 16-24 in games decided by two runs or fewer.
“It’s right there. I don’t think it’s a matter of time, it’s just a matter of … score those extra two runs, score those extra three runs, score that extra run,” Witt said of the club’s close losses. “It’s just finding a way, competing every day and getting back at it tomorrow.”
The offensive production -- Friday was the first time the Royals lost when scoring at least eight runs this season -- and the bullpen were positives coming out of the game, though.
Vinnie Pasquantino is riding a seven-game hitting streak, Salvador Perez snapped an 0-for-13 skid with his first multihit game of June, and Maikel Garcia has an RBI in five of his last eight games.
The bullpen, meanwhile, received scoreless outings by Steven Cruz (2 IP), Lucas Erceg (2 IP) and Eli Morgan (1 IP). Those three relievers all entered with 5.00-plus ERAs.
“Obviously the last couple of weeks haven’t been the best for me,” Erceg said. “I don’t care what [my] role is, I just want to get out there and throw up zeros. Thankfully tonight was one of those cases.”
The Royals needed that type of outing to keep them in it after a forgettable night from starter Luinder Avila. The right-hander recorded just two outs before being pulled at 49 pitches (24 strikes).
The Astros jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on a homer by Yordan Alvarez, who sent a curveball from Avila 368 feet over the left-field wall for an opposite-field shot. Christian Walker made it back-to-back homers by connecting on a 1-1 slider from Avila.
Avila retired the next two batters before allowing five batters to reach consecutively on three singles and two walks. After Peña, the Astros’ leadoff man, walked his second time up in the inning, the Royals turned to Mason Black to face Alvarez.
But Alvarez swatted a 1-0 sweeper over the fence for a grand slam that sailed 419 feet as the Astros jumped out to a commanding 9-0 lead. Avila was charged with eight of the runs as his ERA ballooned from 4.02 to 6.19.
It was a frustrating outing for Avila, who threw five innings of one-run ball in each of his previous two starts.
“Tough inning,” Avila said through a translator. “I was prepared. It didn’t turn out to be like the last two starts, but you have to face it head on.”
It was the most runs the Royals have allowed in the first inning since the Astros scored nine on June 24, 2016, a game the Astros went on to win 13-4.
On Friday, the Royals battled their way back in it with five runs in the first. The 14 combined runs in the first were the most in a first inning since the Red Sox and Marlins combined for 15 on June 27, 2003.
And although Kansas City made it interesting late, the story ended like so many others this season.
“It was a good comeback, but we came up short,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “At the end of the day, we’re trying to win the game, so it was disappointing.”