KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ The homestand began with one of the most dreadful nights the Royals pitching staff has endured this season. Things got so bad that the Royals turned to Alex Gordon, a six-time Gold Glove Award winner and three-time All-Star left fielder, as their fifth relief pitcher of the night.
The left-handed hitting veteran took the mound for his major-league pitching debut and showed off a right-handed sidearm delivery in the seventh inning.
Perhaps there's some solace to take from the knowledge that the remaining three games of the series will be hard-pressed to produce a similar drubbing.
The Royals allowed a season-high 19 runs and had two position players pitch in a 19-4 loss to the Oakland Athletics in the opening game of a four-game series in front of an announced 13,595 at Kauffman Stadium on Monday night. The Royals (46-86) also allowed a season-high 22 hits, which was also a season-high for hits by the Athletics (75-55). Their previous high was 17.
Royals starting pitcher Brad Keller (7-14) didn't make it through two innings. He allowed five runs on three hits and three walks in 1 1/3 innings. That and the score ballooning out of control led to Gordon and infielder Humberto Arteaga pitching in the late innings.
Gordon pitched 1 1/3 innings, and he allowed three runs on five hits and one walk. He came out with two runners on in the eighth, and Arteaga got out of the inning without allowing either runner to score. Arteaga allowed one run in the ninth.
Meanwhile, old friend Homer Bailey started for the Athletics and took advantage of his club's offensive explosion for his 12th win of the season. The Royals traded Bailey to the Athletics prior to a game Bailey was scheduled to start at Kauffman Stadium on July 14.
Bailey (12-8) allowed three runs on eight hits in six innings. He didn't walk a batter and struck out three. He gave up a homer run to Brett Phillips in the second inning.
The game was held up for several minutes in the sixth inning when home plate umpire Chris Guccione left the game and entered Major League Baseball's concussion protocol.
The umpiring crew went on with a three-man configuration. Crew Chief Mike Everitt moved from first base to home plate, while Lance Barrett went from second base to first and third base umpire Bill Welke umpired the left side of the infield.
The Royals will start left-hander Mike Montgomery (3-6, 4.99) on Tuesday night, while the Athletics will start right-hander Mike Fiers (12-3, 3.46).
.jpg?w=600)
