The Royals took 11 innings to give the Tigers their first lose of the season, and spoiled a much anticipated home opener in Detroit by winning this contest 5-4. Gil Meche pitched a dandy against possibly the best 1 through 9 batting order in baseball. They hung right in there throughout the entire game, capitalizing on the talent and power of their youth, coupled with extraordinary feilding from right field, and third base to end it. Guillen was credited with an assist as he gunned down Maglio Ordonez at the plate, saving what would have been the difference in this game, and Alex Gordon dove to save a hit, and fired a laser across the infield, showing his talent at the hot corner.
The starting lineup for the first game of the 2008 season looked like this:
- CF David DeJesus
- 2B Mark Grudzielanek
- 3B Alex Gordon
- RF Jose Guillen
- DH Billy Butler
- LF Mark Teahen
- 1B Ross Gload
- C John Buck
- SS Tony Pena Jr.
As previously advertised, the Royals were off and running early, with a Grudzielanek steal of second, after a throwing error on the shortstop Renteria (E5), and collision with first baseman Guillen for the Tigers in the first inning. It was the third inning when Ordonez was gunned down at the plate for the third out of the inning, compliments of Jose Guillen in right field.
Up to this point in the game, the bats for the Royals were very aggressive, especially early in the count. This is the new attitudethat manager Trey Hillman imposed on his players early in spring training, and the guys were paying attention. This aggresion payed off in the forth inning, when Billy Butler was credited with the first hit for the Royals in this 2008 season, off of a very good pitcher Justin Verlander, who hit Grudzielanek in the left hand a few batters before.
In the sixth inning they scored their first couple runs off of a 2 run shot by Alex Gordon, cutting the Tiger lead to 3-2. It was very fitting that the first runs came off the bat of Gordon, who was the second overall pick in the 2005 draft out of Nebraska, after winning the collegiate player of the year that season, and followed it up by winning the Minor League player of the year that following campaign. Not many players came to the field today in either uniform carrying a resume like that, and it showed.
The new aggresive style of played continued in the seventh inning, when Gload hit a liner up the gut, with a hit and run call made for Teahen, who was on first. Buck then singled to drive him home from third, to tie the game at 3. Again Grudzielanek, hit a single off of the third Tigers pitcher of the inning, Lopez, to go ahead 4-3.
Before they could write this one in the books, however, Detroit’s Guillen homered to tie it at 4. Enter extra innings.
It wasn’t until the 11th inning, when everything started going the Royals way. Teahen walked to start the inning. Again, the new philosophy in place, Gload layed down a perfect bunt down the first base line to drive Teahen over to second. The next batter, John Buck, hit a shot just past the outstretched glove of the short stop Renteria for the Tigers, and Teahen was waved home rounding third. With an arm that very few major leaguers possess, Brandon Inge earned an assist of his own throwing Teahen out at the plate. This did not stop the offensive prowl of the Royals, however, as the next batter Tony Pena Jr. hit a blooper into center feild driving home Buck, in what ended up being the difference in this one, and the Royals come away with the win, 5-4, in a hard faught battle at Comerica Park in Detroit.
The atmosphere was electric, and the Royals definitely entered the game the underdog, but never showed signs of quitting. Meche pitched an excellent game, and showed why he is considered one of baseball’s elite. Holding this lineup to anything less than a double digit score is impressive, let alone the fact that he had them batting from their heels most of the game.
Overall this was what every Kansas City fan was hoping for entering this 2008 season. Agressive hitting followed by aggressive running. Good solid pitching followed by great fielding. I know it is early, but if this keeps up, we may be looking at another reason why the American League Central is the best division in baseball, and teams like Cleveland, and Chicago should be taking notice of the “new kid on the block.”
You couldn’t ask for a better way to start the season then a victory in Detroit, on opening day, against the most feared batting lineup baseball has seen in many years. It is a long season, and anything can happen, but you could not have asked for a better way to start if you are a Kansas City Royal.
