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Royals try to avoid the brooms in Colorado

Jul 3, 2011 - 2:42 PM (Sports Network) - With hopes of remaining relevant in the second half of the season slowly slipping away, the Kansas City Royals try to bring an end to a five-game slide this afternoon at Coors Field as they close out a three-game interleague set against the Colorado Rockies.

KC, which was 10 games under .500 on this date a year ago, is even worse off this time around as it deals with the fact that it is the American League's worst team yet again with just 33 victories in 83 opportunities. The biggest problem for the Royals is they simply can't get it done on the road in 2011 with just 10 wins in 36 chances following their 9-6 loss last night.

Wilson Betemit delivered a three-run homer and Alex Gordon posted a solo blast among his four hits, two RBI and two runs scored for the Royals in yesterday's outing, yet the squad still lost for the 11th time in 13 outings.

Royals starter Kyle Davies was touched for seven runs on eight hits, although only four of the runs were earned. Nevertheless, Davies still absorbed his seventh loss in eight decisions as he made it through just three innings.

"I didn't get the ball down very good tonight. They put the ball in play, which you have to give them credit for," said Davies. "I just never got the ball down to knee-high, and they made me pay for it."

Greg Reynolds, just recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs after scheduled starter Jhoulys Chacin had his Saturday start pushed back to Tuesday due to tightness in his right forearm, made it through five innings for the win as he gave up eight hits and five runs.

"When they need someone they look my way, which is a good thing," said Reynolds. "To contribute to this team and just be in this clubhouse is a great honor, and I want to continue doing that."

Mark Ellis finished 3-for-5 with three doubles, two RBI and two runs scored, Troy Tulowitzki hit a solo homer and drove in two runs and Todd Helton chipped in two hits and knocked in a pair for the Rockies as they won their second in a row.

Chris Iannetta cranked out three hits for the hosts, while Carlos Gonzalez and Seth Smith contributed two hits apiece as well in the 15-hit barrage.

Right-hander Luke Hochevar is set to make the start for the Royals in this the series finale. The fifth-year man out of Tennessee posted his fifth win of the season last weekend when he clashed with the Chicago Cubs.

In that matchup Hochevar gave up three runs on seven hits and three walks, striking out five in 5 2/3 innings of work, KC eventually capturing the 6-3 home win and just the second in the month of June when Hochevar is on the hill.

For his career Hochevar, who is just 24-40 overall, is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA versus Colorado.

As for the Rockies, they have Jason Hammel set to close out the series today. Now in his sixth season in the majors, the right-hander managed to log just a single win in the month of June and came close to another on Tuesday but failed to figure into the decision.

Against the Chicago White Sox earlier in the week Hammel permitted just two runs on six hits and a pair of walks over seven innings, yet he didn't post a single strikeout for the first time in 2011.

Against the Royals in two previous career appearances, Hammel is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA.

Despite the team's dismal first half of the season, the Royals have actually been hitting the ball fairly well through 83 games, placing seventh in the majors in batting average at .262 entering play on Sunday. Unfortunately, KC hurlers have failed to make timely hitting stand up game after game due to the fact that they have one of the highest ERAs in baseball at the moment (4.58).