Royals Confuse Everybody Within Twenty-Mile Radius, Win

Let me take a stab at it.

In what will surely be remembered long after this game fades from all memory (like, a week), the Royals hit into the oddest fielder's choice I've seen in years. With no outs, Yuniesky Betancourt on 1B and Mitch Maier on 3B, Gregor Blanco bunted down the 3B line. Maier bolted for home on contact, but got caught in a rundown. Meanwhile, Betancourt took advantage of the rundown and advanced from first to third. The only problem? Maier managed to get out of the pickle and run back to third...past a confused Yuniesky Betancourt.  Third base umpire Bill Hohn pointed at Betancourt and called him out. After Maier stepped off the bag, pitcher Jerry Blevins tagged Maier, who ran a long loopy jog back to the dugout by the pitcher's mound, only to sprint to the plate and touch it.

Huh?

I'm confused too. After a long argument and the ejection of Bob Geren, play resumed. The official play description reads, "Gregor Blanco reaches on a fielder's choice out, catcher Kurt Suzuki to third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff to pitcher Jerry Blevins. Mitch Maier out at home. Yuniesky Betancourt to 3rd on the throw. Gregor Blanco to 2nd. One out." Thankfully, Michael Wuertz was brought in to slam the door after Blevins induced a pop out, and he did fantastically, striking out Jason Kendall to end the inning.

The rest of the game was, by comparison, a sleepwalk. Both starting pitchers Vin Mazzaro and Kyle Davies showed sharp stuff along with shaky command at times, and both walked out of the game allowing two runs (one earned). Davies lasted five innings, while Mazzaro fought through six.

Tomorrow morning is Root Beer Float Day in Oakland, as the A's try to take the series as Brett Anderson faces Sean O'Sullivan at 12:35 PM.