5-13-2014

Colorado Rockies @ Kansas City Royals

Kauffman Stadium, K.C., Missouri

My 18th game of the year

1st away game!

This was my first time to Kauffman driven by it many time on other road trips. I decided to go to this stadium because it is actually the closest stadium to Denver. The Rockies have not been there for a few years and will not be there for at least another 3 years. So we arrived at the stadium very early to get players and coaches arriving. It is a very good stadium to get away teams autographs. The players have to walk from the parking lot to a entrance about 100 or so feet away and also have to walk from the bus to entrance to the stadium. This day I was able to get Walt Weiss on a baseball card, Eric Young, Carlos Gonzalez and Franklin Morales on a 8×10.

After entering the stadium with the early bird tour I was able to get Nick Masset and Corey Dickerson on my team project so I figured I would then head out to the outfield to see if I could shag a baseball and I did I got a ball that bounce off the track threw the gate for the bullpen and up into my glove. The ball was hit by Cargo or Justin Morneau. While I was out in right field Nolan Arenado signed and Jared grabbed my team project and got him on it. Now I only need Troy Tulowitzki on it and Rene Lachman. I did not realize  I needed Lach till earlier that day after he walked past me when he arrived. I did try getting him at the wall before going out to BP but did not get him.

While waiting by the dugout I saw this sitting on the rail of the dugout. It is Nolan Arenados with the Gold Rawlings patches on it, Because he was the Gold Glove 3rd baseman last year. The early bird ticket was O.K. but I thought there would be a little more to it then just being able to get in 1 hour earlier than the regular gate time. I thought it would be a stadium tour then go down to dugouts or BP before the gates open but basically it just brought you down to the dugout you chose and was able to stay behind that dugout.

The Rockies stretching before batting practice. It was cool to be in the stadium early because we very rarely see much of the Rockies warm up and batting practice at Coors. So before the game was a pretty productive because I got a bunch of autographs and a batting practice ball.

James Shields was the starting pitcher for the Royals. He started with a quick 1,2,3 inning against the top of the Rockies line up.

Franklin Morales started for the Rockies and Nori Aoki hit a lead off single. He then walked the third batter of the inning Billy Butler. The Rockies got out of the inning with a double play hit by Salvador Perez.

The Game was relatively un eventful and there was not much action the Royals scored a run in the first on a Alcides Escobar  single that scored Johnny Giavotella. The Rockies did get a second double play in for the first 2 outs of the inning Alex Gordan at second He walked to lead off the inning) and Danny Valencia at first. Aoki ended the inning by flying out to center. The Royals took a 1-0 lead.

In the 4th the Rockies got a run by playing a little small ball Tulo scored on a Morneau single to get the Rockies run and tie the game. The  Royals scored 2 more on a Lorenzo Cain home run to give the Royal a 3-1 lead.

In the 4th I decided to take a walk around the stadium. To get a few photos from a different vantage point and see the stadium. This is a photo of the Royals second home run of the game off Morales a solo shot to right by Salvador Perez in the 5th inning extending the Royals lead to 4-1

Alex Gordon stealing 2nd in the 5th inning. He walked after the Perez homer but did not score.

Between inning they put the fountains on and I was trying to capture this unique feature of this park.

I just could not get a photo really showing them the way I wanted but it is probably the most unique feature of the stadium  a other wise it is a very basic design of 70’s architecture. It does have a mostly open concourse like Coors. In left field they do have the Royals Hall of Fame and around the stadium the do have a few things to do with the Royals history. Also the have 3 statues on the concourse one is of the Kauffman’s, the second Frank White and the third Geaorge Brett.

Shields pitching to Cory Dickerson in the 6th inning. Cory would strike out. Tulo would also strike out for the second out of the inning and Shields’ 1500 strike out of his career. He would also get 1501 in the inning striking out Cargo to end the inning.

Tommy Kahnle warming up in the bullpen in the 6th inning.

Kahnle came into pitch for Marales in the bottom of the 6th. Morales Pitched 5 innings, allowing 4 runs, 8 hits, 2 homeruns and walked 4 and lets just say Shields had more strike out in 1 at bat then Morales did all 5 innings! Kahnle would pitch a full 2 innings only allowing 1 runner a walk to Billy Butler in the 7th.

After 7 complete innings Shield was taken out of the game. He gave up 1 run on 5 hits striking out 8 Rockies batters. Wade Davis replaced him in the 8th. The Royals scored a 5th run in the 8th inning and taking a 5-1 lead. The run came on a Escobar fielder choice scoring   Pedro Ciriaco.

Nolan Arenado argues the called strike out to end the game. The Umpire did have the most consistent strike zone this game and it looked very frustrating to the batters. The Royals pitching was very good but I think there should of been a few less called strike 3’s for them but when you are pitching well it shows you will get the call. But when Guys who are batting well over .300 and pretty much seeing beach balls being pitched it is hard to believe the are not seeing the ball well or not swinging at good pitches.

Well that is it for this one beside the score it was a good day at the ballpark.

Got another one from the K and then back to Coors on Friday night.