Seattle Meriners vs Kansas City Royals live streaming major league baseball audio video feed online coverage internet tv sopcast webcast espn 360 gamecast april 15, 2011. Game Review: The Kansas City Royals are off to their best home start since 2003. Another game against the light-hitting Seattle Mariners could help continue that run at Kauffman Stadium.
After Thursday's series-opener was called following a 47-minute rain delay in the bottom of the eighth inning, Kansas City (8-4) improved to 5-2 at home with the 5-1 victory. It is the Royals' best home start since a franchise-record 11-0 mark to open 2003.
The Royals, winners of four of five overall and tied atop the AL Central with Cleveland, will try to continue their hot start at home with Luke Hochevar (1-1, 5.30 ERA) on the mound.
8:10 PM ET, April 15, 2011
Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Pitching Matchup
Seattle v Kansas City
Erik Bedard
0-2, 9.00 ERA
Last appearance:
4/10 vs CLE
4.0 IP, 6 ER
Dec = Loss
Luke Hochevar
1-1, 5.30 ERA
Last appearance:
4/10 at DET
7.0 IP, 3 ER
Dec = Win
Injury Report
Seattle
* Chone Figgins 3B - Apr 13: Day-To-Day
* Franklin Gutierrez CF - Apr 12: 15-Day DL
* Adam Moore C - Apr 12: 60-Day DL
* David Aardsma RP - Apr 12: 15-Day DL
Kansas City
* Robinson Tejeda RP - Apr 14: 15-Day DL
In his first road start Sunday, Hochevar earned his first win of the season in a 9-5 victory over Detroit.
"He's probably one of the more underrated guys in the league. He's got good stuff," second baseman Mike Aviles said after Hochevar surrendered four runs and five hits in seven innings.
Hochevar has walked just two in 18 2/3 innings, but he has already yielded six home runs in three starts. He'd given up eight over 17 starts in 2010.
"Even for the home run balls, if we have a lead like that, I'm going to be aggressive," Hochevar told the Royals' official website following his longest start since June 5. "I'm not going to try to pick at corners."
Hochevar is 1-0 with a 3.75 ERA in two starts against Seattle, both coming at home.
He should be careful pitching to Ichiro Suzuki, who could pass George Brett for a record 10th consecutive multihit game at Kauffman Stadium.
Ichiro, batting .460 (29 for 63) during a 15-game hitting streak in Kansas City after going 2 for 4 on Thursday, has two hits -- including a homer -- in six at-bats against Hochevar.
The right-hander, though, will face a Mariners team that's batting .218 and scoring 3.4 runs per game.
Seattle (4-9), hitting .209 with 11 runs during its road skid, last dropped six straight away from home during an 0-7 stretch July 26-Aug. 1.
"To a man they are pushing a little bit to try to get out of this funk we are in offensively," said manager Eric Wedge. "We had our opportunities, We just couldn't take advantage of them."
Designated hitter Jack Cust, who is batting .175 with 14 strikeouts and no homers, will return to Seattle's lineup Friday after getting Thursday off. Cust is 2 for 9 with a home run versus Hochevar.
Royals manager Ned Yost said Thursday that Aviles, batting just .156, will be in the lineup Friday and Saturday, but the play of third baseman Wilson Betemit is making it difficult to keep him on the bench. Betemit had a homer and two RBIs Thursday, and is hitting .387.
Whomever Yost pencils into the lineup card will face Erik Bedard (0-2, 9.00). The oft-injured left-hander surrendered six runs and 10 hits in Sunday's 6-4 loss to the Indians.
"I'm working hard and trying to get back as quick as I can," Bedard said after throwing 83 pitches in four innings.
He is 3-1 with a 2.30 ERA in five starts against Kansas City, with none since May 30, 2007, while with Baltimore.
MarinersWeather permitting, the Royals will try to hand the Mariners their sixth straight road loss Friday night.
(4-9, 2-5 away)
Royals
(8-4, 5-2 home)
After Thursday's series-opener was called following a 47-minute rain delay in the bottom of the eighth inning, Kansas City (8-4) improved to 5-2 at home with the 5-1 victory. It is the Royals' best home start since a franchise-record 11-0 mark to open 2003.
The Royals, winners of four of five overall and tied atop the AL Central with Cleveland, will try to continue their hot start at home with Luke Hochevar (1-1, 5.30 ERA) on the mound.
8:10 PM ET, April 15, 2011
Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Seattle v Kansas City
Erik Bedard
0-2, 9.00 ERA
Last appearance:
4/10 vs CLE
4.0 IP, 6 ER
Dec = Loss
Luke Hochevar
1-1, 5.30 ERA
Last appearance:
4/10 at DET
7.0 IP, 3 ER
Dec = Win
Injury Report
Seattle
* Chone Figgins 3B - Apr 13: Day-To-Day
* Franklin Gutierrez CF - Apr 12: 15-Day DL
* Adam Moore C - Apr 12: 60-Day DL
* David Aardsma RP - Apr 12: 15-Day DL
Kansas City
* Robinson Tejeda RP - Apr 14: 15-Day DL
In his first road start Sunday, Hochevar earned his first win of the season in a 9-5 victory over Detroit.
"He's probably one of the more underrated guys in the league. He's got good stuff," second baseman Mike Aviles said after Hochevar surrendered four runs and five hits in seven innings.
Hochevar has walked just two in 18 2/3 innings, but he has already yielded six home runs in three starts. He'd given up eight over 17 starts in 2010.
"Even for the home run balls, if we have a lead like that, I'm going to be aggressive," Hochevar told the Royals' official website following his longest start since June 5. "I'm not going to try to pick at corners."
Hochevar is 1-0 with a 3.75 ERA in two starts against Seattle, both coming at home.
He should be careful pitching to Ichiro Suzuki, who could pass George Brett for a record 10th consecutive multihit game at Kauffman Stadium.
Ichiro, batting .460 (29 for 63) during a 15-game hitting streak in Kansas City after going 2 for 4 on Thursday, has two hits -- including a homer -- in six at-bats against Hochevar.
The right-hander, though, will face a Mariners team that's batting .218 and scoring 3.4 runs per game.
Seattle (4-9), hitting .209 with 11 runs during its road skid, last dropped six straight away from home during an 0-7 stretch July 26-Aug. 1.
"To a man they are pushing a little bit to try to get out of this funk we are in offensively," said manager Eric Wedge. "We had our opportunities, We just couldn't take advantage of them."
Designated hitter Jack Cust, who is batting .175 with 14 strikeouts and no homers, will return to Seattle's lineup Friday after getting Thursday off. Cust is 2 for 9 with a home run versus Hochevar.
Royals manager Ned Yost said Thursday that Aviles, batting just .156, will be in the lineup Friday and Saturday, but the play of third baseman Wilson Betemit is making it difficult to keep him on the bench. Betemit had a homer and two RBIs Thursday, and is hitting .387.
Whomever Yost pencils into the lineup card will face Erik Bedard (0-2, 9.00). The oft-injured left-hander surrendered six runs and 10 hits in Sunday's 6-4 loss to the Indians.
"I'm working hard and trying to get back as quick as I can," Bedard said after throwing 83 pitches in four innings.
He is 3-1 with a 2.30 ERA in five starts against Kansas City, with none since May 30, 2007, while with Baltimore.
