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MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2012
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
PLAYING DIRTY
TRAVIS YOUNG/KANSAN
Hawk Mudtest Kelsey Adkins laughs after she and her teammates die to attempt to save the ball from hitting the ground. Hawk Mudtest was held on Saturday afternoon to raise money for KU Endowment's Student Leadership Award.
Ethan Rempel, player for team "Sets from Behind," attempts to keep the play going during the Hawk Mudfest volleyball tournament, which raises money for an award that recognizes students who make contributions to the future of the University.
TRAVIS YOUNG/KANSAN
MLB
Royals, in free fall, drop third to Blue Jays
ASSOCIATED PRESS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With the Kansas City Royals mired in a 10-game loss streak, personnel changes could be on the horizon.
Ricky Romero won his third straight start, Brett Lawrie stole home and drove in two runs and the Toronto Blue Jays beat Kansas City 5-3 Sunday, sending the Royals to their 10th straight loss.
The Royals have only six skids longer than 10 in franchise history. It is their longest losing streak since dropping 12 consecutive May 19-30, 2008. As the losses mount up — nine of them at Kauffman Stadium on this opening 10-game homestand — manager Ned Yost said changes may be necessary.
"We're close to getting to the point of needing to make some changes," Yost acknowledged. "If we need to make some moves, we will, but we can't continue with this."
The Royals have scored three
or less runs in five of their past six games and rank next-to-last in the American League with 56 runs. The starting pitchers have thrown a total of 18 innings in the past four games, none lasting more than five innings.
The Blue lays scored four runs in the fifth to chase Royals left-hander Danny Duffy, Lawrie's two-out single to right scored Yunel Escobar and Jose Bautista. Rajal Davis led off the inning with a double and scored on Escobar's single. Bautista, who walked three times, singled home J.P. Arencibia with the other run.
Duffy labored through 4 2-3 innings, throwing 113 pitches and walking five. He did not give up a hit until Ben Francisco singled with two outs in the fourth, but yielded four hits and two walks in the fifth while retiring only two.
The Royals cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning, which Jeff Francoeur and Mike Moustakas started with singles. Francoeur scored on an Alcides Escobar fielder's
choice grounder, while Moustakas scored on Yunel Escobar's throwing error.
"We ran a double steal in the eighth inning, which turned out to be a pretty big run." Farrell said.
The Blue Jays added a run in the eighth, when Lawrie, who had walked and went to third on Arencibia's single, pulled off a double steal. Arencibia broke for second and catcher Humberto Quintero fired to second baseman Yuniesky Betancourt. Lawrie broke for home and beat Betancourt's throw to the plate.
"This is not even a hole," Royals designated hitter Billy Butler said. "We finished 32 games under .500 (in 2009) That's a hole."
The Royals, who have had one winning season since 1994, again find themselves in a deep hole to start this season.
Moustakas singled home Betancourt for a 19th inning run, but pinch-hitter Brayan Pena grounded into a game-ending double play.
ASSOCIATED PRESS/KANSAN
Toronto Blue Jays' Brett Lawrie beats the tag by Kansas City Royals catcher Humberto Quintero to steal home during the eighteen innings. Toronto swept Kansas City in the weekend series, handing the Royals their 10th-straight loss by winning 5-3 Sunday.