Losing is nothing new for the Royals. Neither is Jose Guillen speaking his mind.
The Kansas City outfielder let loose a profanity-filled tirade, directed mainly at his teammates, after Justin Morneau’s 10th-inning homer finished off a rally from five runs down and gave the Minnesota Twins a 9-8 victory over the sagging Royals on Wednesday night.
Kansas City has lost 10 straight, its longest slide since a 13-game streak May 12-25, 2006.
“Too many babies here,” Guillen said – eliminating a few choice words that would make George Carlin blush. “They don’t know how to play the game and win the game right, the way it’s supposed to be played. And that’s the problem here. Now I know why this organization’s been losing for a while. Now I know.”
Guillen also was incensed that anyone might blame the loss on manager Trey Hillman, whose late-game decisions included leaving Joel Peralta in to face Morneau in the 10th after he had allowed Craig Monroe’s pinch three-run homer in the ninth that helped bring Minnesota back from an 8-3 deficit.
“He cares more than anyone here about winning,” said Guillen, declining to name the players who he thinks aren’t doing enough. “That guy cares. Every single day. It’s killing him.”
In other AL games Wednesday, it was the New York Yankees 4, Baltimore 2; Seattle 1, Boston 0; Toronto 2, Oakland 1; Detroit 6, the Los Angeles Angels 2; Tampa Bay 5, Texas 3; and the Chicago White Sox 6, Cleveland 5.
Guillen, whom the Royals signed to a three-year, $36 million deal in the offseason, has been in trouble for speaking his mind before.
Playing for the Angels in 2004, he was suspended the last two weeks of the regular season and postseason for inappropriate conduct after publicly expressing his disdain for manager Mike Scioscia. After the season, Guillen was traded to the Washington Nationals.
While Guillen spoke forcefully following the latest meltdown by the Royals, Peralta’s voice hardly rose above a whisper.
“I’ve faced (Monroe) before,” he said. “I just made a mistake. Fell behind in the count and had to throw a strike and – home run.”
Peralta (0-2) said frustration carrying over from the ninth had nothing to do with the first pitch he threw in the 10th, which Morneau sent sailing over the fence.
“It was a good pitch. He’s just a good hitter and hit it, that’s all,” Peralta said.
Jesse Crain (3-2) worked one-third of an inning for the win, giving him two victories in two nights when he’s gotten a total of four outs. Joe Nathan worked the 10th for his 14th save.
Monroe, who pinch hit for Alexi Casilla, jumped an inside fastball with a 3-2 count.
“I hit it hard and it was a loud sound for me. Like at the plate, I could feel it,” he said. “I don’t think we ever quit.”
Royals starter Zack Greinke gave up five hits and three runs and threw a career-high 117 pitches, handing an 8-3 lead to Ramon Ramirez starting the ninth. But after Mike Lamb and Carlos Gomez delivered RBI singles off Ramirez to make it 8-5, Peralta came in to face Monroe.
“Disappointing, obviously,” said Hillman, whose bullpen was exhausted after a 12-inning loss the night before. “From the extra innings last night, we didn’t have anybody else available.”
Yankees 4, Orioles 2
At Baltimore, Jason Giambi homered and drove in two runs as New York avoid a sweep.
Andy Pettitte (5-5) gave up two runs and eight hits in 6 2-3 innings to improve to 24-6 lifetime against the Orioles, including 15-4 in Baltimore. Mariano Rivera got his 13th save.
Jeremy Guthrie (2-6) allowed three runs and six hits in seven innings, striking out four.
Mariners 1, Red Sox 0
At Seattle, Erik Bedard (4-3) finally looked like an ace for Seattle, allowing just two hits in seven innings and getting help from Yuniesky Betancourt’s home run in a victory over Boston.
J.J. Putz walked Manny Ramirez and Sean Casey to put the tying run at second with two outs in the ninth, but he got Coco Crisp to ground out for his sixth save in nine chances.
Tim Wakefield (3-4) had a season-high eight strikeouts while allowing five hits and walking none in his first complete game of the season.
Blue Jays 2, Athletics 1
At Oakland, Calif., Alex Rios hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the ninth that helped secure the win for Roy Halladay (6-5), and Toronto beat Oakland for the first time in five tries.
Rios lined a one-out single down the left-field line off loser Keith Foulke (0-1) and the A’s had their season high-tying five-game winning streak snapped.
B.J. Ryan worked the ninth for his 12th save.
Tigers 6, Angels 2
At Anaheim, Calif., Armando Galarraga (4-2) came within two outs of his first complete game and shutout in the majors and Marcus Thames hit two homers for Detroit.
Joe Saunders (8-2) gave up a season-high five runs and seven hits in five innings.
Rays 5, Rangers 3
At St. Petersburg, Fla., Matt Garza (4-1) pitched a career-high eight innings, leading first-place Tampa Bay in front of a meager home crowd of 10,927.
B.J. Upton and Akinori Iwamura delivered RBI singles off Kason Gabbard (1-2), Evan Longoria had a sacrifice fly and Carlos Pena and pinch-hitter Cliff Floyd drew walks with the bases loaded for Tampa Bay, which has won 15 of 20 games.
White Sox 6, Indians 5
At Cleveland, Carlos Quentin drove in three runs, including a go-ahead, two-run double in a three-run seventh inning to a strong performance by Gavin Floyd (5-3).
Bobby Jenks pitched the ninth for his 14th save in 16 chances.
Rafael Betancourt (1-3) took the loss in relief for Cleveland, losers of 10 of 12.
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