For the second time this season, the Royals ended up looking to another arm when their starting pitcher couldn't go. Tony Leyva took the ball for the boys in blue in his first start since June 12 vs the Pirates when he left the game due to a knee injury. Leyva put forth a strong outing picking up the win going 5 innings allowing 5 runs (1 earned) on 7 hits with 0 walks and 6 strikeouts. The Royals bats went up against Boston Cubs ace Eric Walz and came through to support Leyva scoring 10 runs on 9 hits led by Ryan Ritell who went 2-3 with a double, 3 RBI, 2 runs scored and a stolen base.
The Royals took on the Metro Gators on Thursday in Peabody and gave the ball to starter Justin Chere. After missing his last start with a bit of arm trouble, Chere bounced back in a big way firing 6 scoreless innings allowing 2 hits with 0 walks and 7 strikeouts. Chris Johnson drove in Nico Rodriguez in the second inning and the game remained 1-0 until the top of the seventh when Ryan Ritell singled up the middle with the bases loaded to add two insurance runs. Eddie Lockhart pitched a scoreless seventh to pick up his second save of the season capping a 3-0 victory for the Royals.
On Sunday June 26th, the Royals took on the first place South Shore Cardinals for a double header in Canton. Ryan Bowen got the start for the Royals pitching 6 innings giving up 2 runs on 6 hits while striking out 3 and picked up his 3rd consecutive win. The Royals picked up some timely hits throughout the game and won by a score of 6-2.
After game 2 starter Justin Chere was unable to start after warming up, the Royals looked to Chris Johnson to fill in. Considering Johnson got 5 minutes notice before starting the game, he pitched brilliantly. He gave the Royals 6 strong innings allowing 1 run (unearned) on 3 hits with 1 walk and 4 strikeouts. Bryan Weber hit a 2 run double in the second inning and CJ Flannery knocked him home with a basehit 3 batters later and that was all the offense Johnson would need. Eddie Lockhart picked up his first save of the year closing the door in the 7th.
The Royals jumped the Cardinals in the standings but with the Mariners also sweeping their double header against the Pirates, the Royals remain 1 game back of the Mariners.
Royals defeat the Giants today behind a brilliant pitching performance by Ryan Bowen. Picking up his second straight victory, Bowen pitched a complete game shut out allowing only 2 singles with 1 walk and 9 strikeouts. The Royals offense put up double digit runs for the 4th straight game. Mike Ahearn, Ryan Ritell, and Dominic Coviello each had multiple hits on the day and brothers Bryan and Scott Weber picked up 3 RBIs each in support of Bowen.
The Royals take on division leaders the South Shore Cardinals in a double header next Sunday in Canton.
The Royals lost a tough battle with the Lexington Titans on Friday night. Scott Weber got things started with a 2 run single in the first inning. Starting pitcher Justin Chere retired the first 9 batters he faced but the Titans bats came alive in the 4th and 5th innings and the Royals defense made some costly errors as they watched the Titans take a 10-2 lead. The Royals scored two runs in the bottom of the 5th to chip away at the deficit but the Titans scores two of their own on the top of the 6th. Down 12-4 in the 6th, the Royals still fought hard and put up 5 runs with Mike Ahearn, Scott Weber, and Ryan Ritell all coming through with RBI hits. Still down by 3 runs in the bottom of the seventh, Bryan Weber led off the inning with a solo homerun to left centerfield. The Royals loaded the bases and scored one more on a walk by Brian Williams. The Titans then turned a 4-6-3 double play to end the game and narrowly escaped with the victory.
Looking to avenge his opening night loss at the hands of the defending CABL champion Mariners, Justin Chere took the hill on Sunday afternoon for the Royals in Game 1 of a double header vs the division rivals. Chere kept the Mariners off balance all game, allowing 1 unearned run on 7 hits and 0 walks over six innings of work. The Royals defense had their best performance of the season, turning two double plays and recording 20 of 21 putouts in the field as Royals pitchers only recorded 1 strikeout.
The Royals offense got out to an early lead in the first inning. With Mike Ahearn and Derek Palatino on second and third thanks to a HBP, walk, and two stolen bases, Brian Williams drove in Ahearn with a single to left. Ryan Ritell added another run, driving in Palatino with a sacrifice fly. After a solo HR from Gary Carmona in the third, and an unearned run scored by the Mariners in the top of the sixth, the Royals turned to pinch hitter Nico Rodriguez to add on to their 3-1 lead. Rodriguez ripped a double down the left field line to drive in the Royals' fourth run. Later in the inning rookie CJ Flannery drove in pinch runner Chris Johnson, to once again rob closer Eddie Lockhart (1 IP 0H 0R) of a save opportunity.
Game 2 did not go the Royals way as they struggled all afternoon vs Mariners starter DJ Goldberg. The Royals were nearly shut out until they pushed across their lone run in the top of the seventh. The Mariners took Game 2 by a score of 5-1 and took the season series vs the Royals 2-1.
The boys in blue are off for Memorial Day weekend and get back to it on June 5th when they travel up to Lawrence to take on the Yankees.
For the second straight game, the Royals lineup produced 14 runs and won in five innings. It was a different story this Sunday compared to last week's dull affair filled with walks, errors, and hit batsmen. The Royals tallied 15 hits with a huge chunk of them coming in a 9 run fourth inning, all of which were scored with 2 outs. James O'Neil got the inning rolling with a 3-run HR to left. Rather than kill the rally, the HR energized the lineup and the Royals would produce another 6 runs before recording a third out. Center Fielder Derek Palatino provided another spark for the offense, driving in 3 runs and scoring 3. Palatino, Brian Williams, Scott Weber, Ryan Ritell, and O'Neil all had multi-hit games. Newcomer Greg Bates recorded the Royals only 2 walks to increase his team leading total to 5 walks in 4 games.
Tony Levya picked up the win in his first start since 2014. Levya got the complete game victory going 5 innings, giving up 2 unearned runs on 4 hits with 0 walks and 5 strikeouts.
The bats went cold in the second game of the DH as the Royals only managed 1 run on 7 hits and couldn't get the big hit when needed dropping Game 2 by a score of 7-1.
The Royals host a double header against the Mariners on Sunday May 22nd at Ruane Field in Canton at 2pm.
The Royals got back to .500 on Sunday with a 14-0 victory over the Methuen Rangers in just 5 innings. The Rangers came into the game with virtually no pitching and the Royals made them pay. In addition to the Royals' 8 hits, they reached on 7 walks, 4 HBP, and 4 errors. Derek Palatino led the offense with 4 runs scored for the second time in his career, tying his own CABL record for runs scored in a game.
Chris Johnson earned his first victory of 2016, giving up 0 runs on 1 hit through 4 innings. Closer Eddie Lockhart made quick work of the Rangers in the last inning to send the Royals home before the rains came.
Looking to bounce back from an 0-2 start to the year, the Royals took on the Malden Braves in Canton on Sunday. In a rematch from the second meeting between these two teams in 2015, Justin Chere faced off against Braves starter Ariel Ramos. After a quick 1-2-3 first inning, the Royals wasted no time putting a few runs on the board. Mike Ahearn led off the game with an infield single and quickly stole second and third. Derek Palatino singled home Ahearn and took second base on an E7. After Paltino swiped third base, Ryan Ritell drove in Palatino with a sacrifice fly. Chere and Ramos, in almost a repeat of last years game, battled back and forth all morning pitching very effectively and keeping the game at 2-0. In the bottom of the sixth, Bryan Weber hit a two run double giving the Royals a 4-0 lead. Chere (6IP, 5H, 0R, 5K) gave way to closer Eddie Lockhart who pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning striking out the side.
The Royals looked to bounce back from Friday's opening night loss when they took on the Pepperell Red Dogs in Canton on Sunday. Though the Royals collected 10 hits on the day, they couldn't hold off the Red Dogs offense and lost another close game 6-5. The Royals are off next week and look to get back on track when they host the Malden Braves in Canton on May 1st.
