The Kansas City Royals could get used to seeing this version of Kris Bubic. In the series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays, Bubic pitched seven solid innings and powered the Royals to a 4-2 win Sunday at Kauffman Stadium.
Bubic also went seven innings against Toronto in his last start before the All-Star break.
“To be able to pitch deep in the game like that in back-to-back outings, it’s good to be able to do that and give our bullpen a little bit of a blow because those guys have been working hard,” Bubic said. “Today, the defense picked me up in some crucial situations. The offense was putting pressure on them pretty much every inning, and we broke through there late. So all-around, every facet was pretty good today.”
Especially the Royals defense. In the seventh with runners at first and second and nobody out, Bubic got Yu Chang to ground into a double play thanks to third baseman Emmanuel Rivera.
Rivera made a diving stop to his right, then touched third and threw to second for a force out.
“Some traffic on the bases, no outs, he makes a nice diving stop,” Bubic said of Rivera. “I thought for a second there was a chance for a triple play. He did a really good job getting to that ball and getting two outs for me, that was huge.”
Bubic gave up two runs on four hits while walking three and striking out four in 82 pitches.
“The results were great, but Kris’ tempo, his aggressiveness, he got into good counts and didn’t try to make perfect pitches,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “He’d try to go for a wipeout right away and the next thing you know he’s through seven at 82 pitches. That’s complete-game stuff. He trusted his curveball and he moved the fastball around. I thought Cam (Gallagher) did a nice job with him, too. But that’s the pitcher I know he can be.”
After a slow start to the season, Bubic seems to be turning things around. He posted a 4.62 ERA in June and a 3.03 ERA in July.
“Getting ahead in the count, getting in good counts,” Bubic said. “Even if you don’t, making quality pitches to OK it through. If they’re going to swing, get weak contact, and sometimes you get lucky. But the defense was great, and I think being able to pound the zone with all three pitches helps.”
WITT JR. EXITS EARLY
Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. left the game in the second inning with tightness in his right hamstring. Matheny said the injury likely occurred in the first inning when Witt, after getting an RBI single, stole second base.
Witt went to third on a fly ball and winced in pain about halfway to third. Matheny said tests “came back pretty good” and Witt is listed as day to day.
LYNCH, HEASLEY TO REHAB IN OMAHA
Royals left-hander Daniel Lynch (blister) and right-hander Jonathan Heasley (shoulder tendinitis) are beginning rehab assignments in Triple-A Omaha. Heasley was scheduled to pitch Sunday while Lynch is slated to join the club Monday.
O’NEIL ENTERS HOF
Former Kansas City Monarchs great Buck O’Neil was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday in Cooperstown, N.Y.
O’Neil originally signed with the Memphis Red Sox in 1937 and his contract was sold to the Monarchs a year later. O’Neil, a first baseman and three-time All-Star, spent the rest of his career with the Monarchs, who won the Negro Leagues World Series in 1942. O’Neil played until 1948, missing the 1944-45 seasons while serving in the Navy during WWII.
O’Neil managed the Monarchs until 1955 and later became a scout for the Chicago Cubs. In 1962 he became the first black coach in Major League Baseball and in 1988 he became a scout for the Royals. In 1990 O’Neil founded the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City. O’Neil died in 2006.
