HOUSTON _ For almost two hours on Saturday evening, the Royals held onto a one-run lead over the reigning-world-champion Astros.
The Royals' prospects for a victory seemed high. Royals starting pitcher Ian Kennedy had thrown seven innings of two-run baseball and was in line to win for the first time since April 7. Reliever Wily Peralta had allowed a walk in the eighth but flashed a 98-mph fastball that helped him throw a scoreless frame.
But when the doors to the visiting bullpen opened to allow Royals reliever Brandon Maurer, the very same who posted a 12.46 ERA in five early-season outings before being designated for assignment in April, to enter the Minute Maid Park field in the ninth inning, the Royals' chances for a victory plummeted.
The Royals lost to the Astros, 4-3, in the 12th inning because of a series of misplays. After Justin Grimm issued a leadoff walk to George Springer, Hunter Dozier misread a popup hit by Alex Bregman to the first-base line as Ryan Goins and Rosell Herrera converged for backup. Goins picked up the ball as Dozier sprawled on the ground, and his throw to third base scuttled past Mike Moustakas. Carlos Correa then came to bat and singled up the middle to deliver the Astros' walk-off.
But they arrived to that juncture because Maurer allowed back-to-back singles to place runners on the corners with one out in the ninth inning and bring up Evan Gattis, whose 24 RBIs in June lead baseball. Gattis lined a ball into shallow left field that Alex Gordon had to dive to catch _ and as a result, Yuli Gurriel was able to scurry home and tie the game 3-3.
Without the ability to get on base, as the Astros bullpen threw six scoreless frames, the Royals' fate was sealed.
In search of a spark on offense, the Royals activated Lucas Duda before the game. Duda had landed on the disabled list because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot on May 14.
But on an evening where the Royals tallied five hits, it was the strength of rookie Dozier, the Royals' 2013 first-round draft pick who's filled in for Duda at first base for more than a month, that almost brought a victory.
Dozier launched his fourth home run of the season in the fourth inning against Astros starter Lance McCullers. He clobbered a 95-mph pitch left in the middle of the zone, a mistake that left McCullers shaking his head, and scored all the runs the Royals needed.
Before the game, Royals manager Ned Yost didn't know how to provide a clear answer about Dozier's future. It was too early, he said, to judge when he hadn't seen if Duda could play the field without discomfort yet. (Duda, by the way, was a designated hitter in four rehab games with Class AAA Omaha.)
Needled, Yost admitted, yes, Dozier would be "mixed in" more. Starts in right field loom in his future; he'll get a chance to man third base, where he played before the Royals encouraged him to become more versatile.
No matter how fluid Yost said the plans might be, one thing appears certain: The Royals don't intend to return Dozier to the minor leagues for the time being.
And Saturday's homer _ his first career opposite-field shot, one muscled into the right-field seats and thrown back into the field by spurned Astros fans _ only strengthened Dozier's case.
But it wasn't enough.
