Wednesdays doubleheader included a little bit of a reversal of roles for Royals starting pitchers Homer Bailey and Brad Keller. Bailey entered the day leading the Royals in wins and had been one of their steady while not spectacular pitchers since the season started.
Of course, the St. Louis Cardinals also had a ton of familiarity with Bailey. Hed started more games against the Cardinals than any active pitcher in the majors.
Meanwhile Keller had made just his third appearance and first start against the Cardinals. Whereas Bailey had been largely consistent, Keller came into the day having muddled through recent starts which had been distinguished by a lack of command and an inconsistent pitching delivery.
How each starter fared certainly set the tone for each half of the doubleheader split the Royals earned in their I-70 series against the Cardinals on Wednesday at Busch Stadium.
Keller, who hadnt won since April, led the Royals to an 8-2 Game 1 win in front of an announced 42,725. The Royals never trailed, broke the game open with a six-run third inning and held the Cardinals scoreless for the first seven innings.
In the nightcap, the Cardinals chased familiar foe Bailey from the game in less than two innings on their way to a 10-3 win in front of an announced 42,529 for the second game.
The Cardinals lineup immediately started grinding away at-bats and running up Baileys pitch count. Bailey, who made his 28th career start against the Cardinals, threw 28 pitches to get through the first four batters with just one out recorded.
A lot of foul balls, they laid off some really good pitches, so just go back and try to figure out what Im missing here, Bailey said.
And the 28th pitch got tagged by Cardinals cleanup hitter Marcell Ozuna over the right field wall for a three-run home run at the end of a 12-pitch at-bat. Bailey also hit a batter, Yadier Molina, in his 42-pitch first inning.
We were actually trying to go in, so I completely yanked that one, Bailey said of the final pitch to Ozuna. We were going to go in right there. Even though it was a miss, it wasnt that terrible of a pitch. He happened to just be able to keep it in line.
Bailey struck out a batter to start the second, but then he gave up a single to opposing pitcher Adam Wainwright followed by a two-run home run by Matt Carpenter. Bailey left with two outs in the second and the Cardinals leading 5-0.
Adalberto Mondesis third-inning RBI single in Game 2, part of a two-run inning for the Royals, made him one of seven Royals to record 40 RBIs in a season before June 1. The group includes John Mayberry, Hal McRae, George Brett, Jeff King, Mike Sweeney and Jermaine Dye.
After Hunter Doziers 10th home run of the season, a towering blast to left field in the fifth inning, the Royals were within striking distance, 5-3.
However, reliever Richard Lovelady gave up a solo home run in the sixth on the first pitch he threw to Dexter Fowler. After 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief, Barlow gave up four runs with two outs in the seventh as the Cardinals took a 10-3 lead.
Royals catcher Martin Maldonado (2-for-2, walk, hit by pitch) reached base four times in the nightcap.
