Royals end Shields’ no-hit bid, top Rays
August 2, 2009
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)—Kansas City’s late offensive outburst cost JamesShields(notes) more than a victory.
John Buck(notes) ended Shields’ bid for a no-hitter with a leadoff single in theeighth inning, Mitch Maier(notes) drove in three runs and the Royals beat the Tampa BayRays 4-1 on Sunday.
Shields dominated the Royals before Buck’s hit started a two-run inning.Pinch-runner Ryan Freel(notes) advanced all the way to third when catcher DionerNavarro(notes) made an errant throw to second on Alex Gordon’s(notes) fielder’s choice, andMaier drove him in with an infield single.
Gordon stole home later in the eighth when Maier got involved in a rundown,and suddenly Shields found himself in a 2-0 hole.
“He was very good,” Royals manager Trey Hillman said. “The crack was moredefensive letdown than it was the fact that we were knocking him around theballpark. I was glad John broke that up and then, obviously, we caught a coupleof breaks.”
Series at a Glance Kansas City 2 Tampa Bay 8 Fri, Jul 31 – Final Kansas City 1 Tampa Bay 7 Sat, Aug 1 – Final Kansas City 4 Tampa Bay 1 Sun, Aug 2 – Final Kansas City at Tampa Bay Mon, Aug 3 – 12:08 pm ET
Hillman left the team after his postgame media session to tend to a personalmatter.
Brian Bannister(notes) (7-7) gave up five hits and struck out seven over sevenscoreless innings, giving the Royals their first win in nine games against TampaBay this season. Joakim Soria(notes), who allowed a homer to Ben Zobrist(notes) in the ninth,pitched the final two innings for his 18th save.
“If a guy takes a no-hitter into the eighth and you still beat him thatday, then it’s a good team effort,” Bannister said. “We haven’t beaten thisteam at all this year, and so to win it that way was extra special.”
Maier kept the game scoreless by throwing out B.J. Upton(notes) trying to score onEvan Longoria’s(notes) single to center in the sixth. He tacked on a two-run single inthe ninth.
“I know he can run and Longoria hit one right at me,” Maier said. “Hehits it anywhere else, I have no chance at him.”
Shields (6-8) wound up allowing two runs and two hits in 7 1-3 innings,dropping to 0-3 in eight starts since beating New York Mets ace Johan Santana(notes) onJune 20. Shields struck out six and walked four.
“What are you going to do?” Shields said. “I went out there and pitchedmy best game and came up short. You move forward, that’s all I can do. I pitchedwell enough to win and Bannister pitched better.”
Tampa Bay Rays right fielder G… AP – Aug 2, 5:21 pm EDT
There has never been a no-hitter in 940 regular-season games at TropicanaField. The Rays have not thrown a no-hitter in their 1,884 regular-season gamesoverall.
“I wasn’t really thinking about the no-hitter,” said Shields, who is 5-1against the Royals. “I wasn’t. All I wanted to do is shut them out, give thisteam a chance to win and I didn’t get the job done. It would have been nice, butwe lost the game.”
Shields allowed just one baserunner—a two-out walk to Yuniesky Betancourt(notes)with two out in the third—through five innings.
The Rays put runners on second and third with one out in the second butBannister struck out Navarro and got Jason Bartlett(notes) to pop up to end the inning.
“I knew he had a no-hitter,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “But it’s 0-0,let’s go. Let’s get some points on the board. We made too many mistakes to winthat game.”
NOTES: Gordon is the first Royals player to steal home since Mendy Lopez onMay 31, 2003. … Kansas City designated RHP Sidney Ponson(notes) for assignment andplan to bring up RHP Kyle Davies(notes) from Triple-A Omaha to start Wednesday’s gameagainst Seattle. … Royals RHP Gil Meche(notes), out since July 12 with a lower backstrain, had his rehab start for Class-A Wilmington rained out. … Tampa Bay OFFernandez Perez (left wrist surgery) is getting close to starting a rehabassignment. … Royals OF Mark Teahen(notes) (lower back tightness) was held out of thestarting lineup. He popped out as a pinch hitter in the eighth.
