Greinke and Royals Snakebitten By D-Backs

Kaufman Stadium—After one inning, many Royals fans probably thought the Royals had tonight's game against the Diamondbacks well in-hand.  After all, the Royals had the best young pitcher in baseball on the mound in Zack Greinke, and Jose Guillen's RBI double in the first should have been enough offense with Zack on the mound...right?

Unfortunately for the Royals and their fans, the one-run lead didn't last long as Arizona matched the Royals early run in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Chris Snyder, scoring Chris Young. 

Then, just two innings later in the fourth, the wheels fell off for the Royals due in large part to Greinke's supporting cast.  After striking out Mark Reynolds to start the inning, Gerardo Parra singled and Young walked to put men on first and second with only one out. 

A Miguel Montero single and Snyder fielder's choice paired with errors by right-fielder Jose Guillen and catcher Miguel Olivo allowed three runs to score, and the next thing you know the Royals were down 4-1. 

Diamondbacks starter and former Missouri Tiger Max Scherzer scattered nine hits and two runs over his six innings, leaving the game with a 4-2 lead. 

Greinke was able to keep the Royals in the game until giving up a two-run home run to Reynolds with two out in the seventh, leaving the game down 6-2.   

Greinke then watched as four members of the Royals' beleaguered bullpen allowed the Diamondbacks to blow the game open with six more runs in the top half of the eighth and ninth inning. 

Down 12-2 in the bottom of the ninth, the Royals made a late charge, but it wouldn't be enough as they dropped the second game of the three-game series 12-5. 

The Royals will have their hands full on Thursday as Luke Hochevar will face off against Dan Haren. 

Let's hope the Royals former first-round pick is as good against Arizona's ace as last year's first rounder Scherzer was against Royals ace Grienke.