Royals Approach MLB Record After Fourth Straight Scoreless Game
The Royals' offense is stuck in a historically bad rut. The team's 12-0 loss to the Rays on Monday was not only Kansas City's fifth straight defeat, it was the fourth consecutive game the team hasn't scored.
In that span the Royals have been outscored 32-0, largely thanks to consecutive 12-0 losses on Sunday and Monday, plus a pair of 4-0 losses to the Indians over the weekend. But there's no questioning Monday's two-hit performance as the worst showing among the shutouts. Outfielder Lorenzo Cain accounted for the Royals' only two hits — doubles in both the fourth and ninth innings — while Brandon Moss was Cain's only teammate to reach base via a pair of walks.
Kansas City is the first team since 1992 to be shut out in four consecutive games. What's more, the Royals' 43 consecutive innings without scoring is only five innings shy of the major league record set by the 1906 Philadelphia A's and 1968 Chicago Cubs, according to ESPN and the Elias Sports Bureau.
Rays starter Alex Cobb is the next pitcher to face the reeling Royals. If he can match his last outing — 4 1/3 shutout innings against the Blue Jays last Thursday — Kansas City will be on the brink of setting an unfortunate major league record, all while sitting on the periphery of the AL Wild Card race.
