KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ The book closed on the Royals' 50th season Sunday, and the club can take some satisfaction that it ended better than it began.
Not on the scoreboard _ the Royals fell to the playoff-bound Cleveland Indians, 2-1, and finished with a record of 58-104, matching the second-worst mark in franchise history.
But the season's final five weeks changed the feeling heading into 2019, with emerging stars like shortstop Adalberto Mondesi and second baseman Whit Merrifield, and a young starting rotation that has been among baseball's best over that span.
Mondesi stole his 32nd base on Sunday. He has appeared in just 75 games.
Merrifield, meanwhile, completed an outstanding season with an eighth-inning single. The base hit extended his hitting streak to 20 games and gave him 192 for the season, breaking a tie with Freddie Freeman of the Atlanta Braves.
As he fist-pumped his way to first base, Merrifield joined George Brett and Willie Wilson as the only Royals to lead Major League Baseball in hits.
Merrifield also stole his 45th base, topping the American League for the second straight year. Merrifield was lifted for a pinch-runner and left the game to a standing ovation in the eighth.
The Royals got off to a wretched start this spring, finishing 7-21 in March and April, and things didn't improve over the next few months.
But from Aug. 24, the Royals went 20-14 and owned one of baseball's best home records.
"I think the second-half players who came up did a really good job and produced on a consistent level," said Royals general manager Dayton Moore, who has his manager back for 2019. The Royals announced Sunday that Ned Yost would return for next season.
But back to Sunday's game. The Indians took a 2-0 lead in the third on Francisco Lindor's 38th home run of the year, off KC starter Eric Skoglund.
The Royals got their run in the fifth. Brian Goodwin led off with a single, stole second and moved to the third on Alcides Escboar's ground out.
Meibrys Viloria picked up his fourth RBI of the season with base hit up the middle.
