Guthrie's command escapes him as Twins thwart Royals' shot at sweep
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Jeremy Guthrie turned to luck Wednesday night. It peeked at him, but never fully turned back to the right-hander.
Guthrie walked six batters and hit another in five innings as Minnesota salvaged the final game in Kansas City 3-0 on Wednesday night at Kauffman Stadium. Twins starter Mike Pelfrey, meanwhile, threw seven shutout innings, scattering five hits and striking out four.
The Royals (11-4) still won two of three from the Twins, and remain tied for the division lead with Detroit.
It was the third time Guthrie walked a career-high six hitters, something he hadn't done since 2008. The first time came in his first career start. The second time came with a hurt arm, Guthrie said.
"I didn't have either of those tonight to lean on," Guthrie said. "Tonight was just a random let-me-see-if-I-can-walk-six-hit-one-and-get-through."
Minnesota scored three runs in the first inning, assisted by two Guthrie walks, an errant pickoff attempt, a hit batsman and three hits. The Twins sent eight batters to the plate in the opening frame, and could have inflicted more damage if not for an inning-ending double play.
Guthrie struggled again to find his command in the second inning, loading the bases with two outs after two more free passes. But 39-year-old Torii Hunter attempted to steal home with Kennys Vargas at the plate.
Kauffman Stadium awoke when Hunter broke home, alerting Guthrie to a potential rally-killing play at the plate. Guthrie lifted his head and chucked the ball to Salvador Perez at home, who easily put the tag on Hunter to end the inning.
The attempted stolen base was welcome for Guthrie, who threw 49 strikes and 49 balls. So when he doesn't have his command, where does he turn for outs?
"Luck," he said. "Turn to luck. Hopefully, you get miracles. Stolen bases with bases loaded and their best hitter up. Stuff like that."
After the stolen-base attempt, Guthrie completed three more innings, allowing a baserunner in each frame. He never sat down the side in order, and 10 of the 26 Twins he faced came up with runners in scoring position.
"I think that weighs on the hitters when they know you're always teetering, you're already losing," Guthrie said. "At the same time, I'm not really in command of what's going on out there. Tough position for the team to be in."
But Guthrie's final four innings proved harmless and the veteran exited after completing five.
"Jeremy's one of those guys that doesn't panic," manager Ned Yost said. "He'll bend at times, especially when he's struggling a little bit, but he always finds a way to make a big pitch when he needs to. He doesn't freak out when he can't find his command."
In the bottom half of the fifth, the Royals had an opportunity to get back in the game with a big inning, but first baseman Eric Hosmer rolled out to first with the bases loaded.
"It started in, went across over the plate, but it was up a little bit," Hosmer said. "Couldn't really get on top of it, pulled off. Just a bad swing at that point."
Hosmer was the only other Royals baserunner the rest of the night, tripling with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning.
You can follow Matthew DeFranks on Twitter at @MDeFranks or email him at matthew.defranks@gmail.com.
