KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ For the first time in days, the Royals can't blame a loss on their starting pitcher.
The Royals lost 2-1 to the Rays on Monday at Kauffman Stadium, sure. But they also saw rookie starter Eric Skoglund throw a career-high 7 2/3 innings, receive a standing ovation from a sparse crowd and surrender no free passes.
In each of his 11 previous major-league starts, Skoglund issued at least one walk. He issued none Monday and struck out four while allowing two runs on seven hits.
All the Royals needed was length from a starting pitcher. And on Monday, Skoglund provided that in multiple ways. He used his 6-foot-7 frame to his advantage on a few comebackers, and in one instance whipped out his arm to glove a chopper hit by Wilson Ramos in the first inning, starting a double play at second base.
But most importantly, Skoglund pitched beyond the sixth inning. No Royals starter had done that since Skoglund pitched 6 1/3 innings in a no-decision Wednesday at Baltimore. The futility from the starters who followed forced manager Ned Yost to tax the bullpen for 18 innings between Wednesday and Sunday.
The Royals tallied six hits but were 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position.
With the score tied at 1 in the sixth, Rays shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria blew threw third-base coach Matt Quatraro's stop sign when Matt Duffy shot a single into right field.
As Jorge Soler scooped up the ball and threw a 97 mph strike toward home plate, Hechavarria side-stepped a diving Salvador Perez. Hechavarria stumbled behind home as Perez scrambled to apply a tag and was ruled safe after touching the plate. The Royals did not challenge the call.
Whit Merrifield has quietly hit safely in eight straight games. He went 3 for 4 with a game-tying leadoff homer in the third inning. He jumped on a first-pitch fastball he saw from Rays starter Ryan Yarbrough.
