Royals 7, Rays 3: Odorizzi allows ten Hits

Hodor, Hodor, Hodor.

Hodor.

When Jake Odorizzi is on, he'll rack up K's with his newly developed split-change, becoming the fearsome K-ODOR. If he's not on, the Hits pile on, becoming the cumbersome H-ODOR on the mound.

Today, we got Hodor.

And the rest of the defense looked just as bumbling, somewhat slow. The Gengler theory of everyone having the flu would be suitable right about now, and the off day tomorrow before the trip to Cincinnati should help everyone recharge their batteries.

Joe Maddon made some line up changes with Wil Myers struggling and Matt Joyce excelling. Myers took Joyce's slot at seventh, Joyce jumped up to third, and Ben Zobrist took back his most common slot from last season, batting second.

The change was on for Odorizzi in the first few frames, but started tucking into the dirt by the fourth inning, causing Odorizzi to come back to the zone and letting everybody take a hack. He would allow two runs in the fourth, and five in the fifth. The nail in the coffin of his matinee was a three run shot allowed to Alex Gordon, the first Royals longball of the year.

The Rays are now 5-5, atop the AL East, and have scored only seven runs in their five losses.

NOTES

- Jeremy Guthrie absolutely mowed through the Rays this afternoon, and after allowing a lead off homerun in the fourth inning to Desmond Jennings, retired 13 consecutive Rays -- thank in part to the stellar defense behind him. The Royals would roll through with a GIDP.

- There were some intriguing defensive plays throughout the game. In the first inning, Yunel Escobar popped up a ball from his glove and barehanded it to get the runner in the first inning. Alciedes Escobar made an over-the-should catch on a shallow fly with his back to the mound in the second.

- With two men on after the Zobrist error and a walk with one out, the Rays tried to pull out of the second with a "Strike 'em out, throw 'em out" when Alex Gordon charged to third, a play that would be reviewed and somehow confirmed.

- The broadcast still hasn't gotten over the recent execution of the "transfer play" that saw an error called on Zobrist last night, and just as the baseball gods intended, the moment they put up the graphic describing the rule, Zobrist was called for another error fielding a throw to first base. Somehow, I blame Todd Kalas.

- Guthrie missed his spot by three feet in the third and nailed Longoria in the side as he tried to spin out of the batter's box.

- Brandon Gomes relieved Hodor in the sixth, and a cutter inside got Aoki to swing out of his shoes and faceplant for this first out.

- Cesar Ramos took batting practice before the game, useful for the upcoming three games in Cincy, and then provided a clean inning of relief in the eighth.

- Brandon Guyer led the ninth with a pinch-hit, first-pitch double up the left field line. After a Loney flare to center, Jennings knocked him home with a liner to the outfield wall. Myers singled him over, and Hanigan batted into a fielder's choice for the third run.