Royals getting good results early on with Orlando as leadoff hitter
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Royals have a new man at the top of their batting order as they continue their series with the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night.
After contemplating the move for a while, manager Ned Yost moved hot-hitting Paulo Orlando to the leadoff slot, while dropping Alcides Escobar to eighth.
It was Orlando's first time batting atop the order this season. He did bat there for two games last year in April against Oakland, going 1 for 7 with a walk. Escobar had batted leadoff in 82 of the first 112 games.
"Paulo has been swinging the bat good, but we were waiting a little bit to get a little more offense out of the middle of our lineup ... but if you don't get driven in, it doesn't do you any good," Yost said.
"I feel like (Eric) Hosmer and (Kendrys) Morales are swinging the bats better now, so we just decided to give it a shot."
Orlando, hitting .366 after the All-Star break, led off Tuesday's first inning with a double, the Royals' first leadoff double since June 12 and the first extra-base hit off White Sox ace left-hander Chris Sale to open a game since May 12, 2015, a Jose Segura triple.
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The White Sox beat the Royals 7-5 in 10 innings for their first victory in four games this season at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals are 7-3 against the White Sox this season.
The White Sox placed designated hitter and outfielder Avisail Garcia on the 60-day disabled list before the game Tuesday with a sprained right knee. Garcia joins eight others on the team's DL.
"Very bad timing," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "With the way he started to swing the bat and what he was showing, I mean, he was going to get an extended run to just see what he could do out there.
"I kind of think it's a missed opportunity in a way, but I don't think he intentionally did anything. It's unfortunate, especially with what he was starting to do with the bat."
Garcia said he heard his knee pop while he was stretching before his second at-bat Saturday.
"He said he put his foot over, tried to just stretch," Ventura said. "He felt something pop. Sunday it was pretty swollen, so they went and got some pictures done on it. They realized he has a strain there."
The White Sox recalled outfielder Jason Coats from Triple-A Charlotte to take Garcia's roster spot.
"Every time that I start hitting again, something happens," Garcia said. "Same thing, I was doing better, I was feeling really good. My hamstring, I hurt my hamstring and missed eight days. Now, again, I've got more playing time and now, my knee."
Left-hander Jose Quintana, who has had little success against the Royals, starts Wednesday. He is 0-2 with a 4.40 in two starts this year against Kansas City, allowing seven runs in 14 1/3 innings. In 20 career starts against the Royals, he is 1-8 with a 4.28 ERA.
Quintana, however, has been pitching well recently, going 4-0 with a 2.27 ERA in his past six starts.
Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer has only a .179 batting average off Quintana in 59 at-bats, but has two home runs and 10 RBIs. Orlando is 6 for 16 (.375) while catcher Salvador Perez has a .353 average (18 for 51) with two home runs and eight RBIs.
The Royals start right-hander Ian Kennedy, who limited Tampa Bay to one hit in six scoreless innings in his previous start, a no-decision against the Rays. He lost on June 10 in his only start this season against the White Sox.
