Royals Lose Ace and Game

By Dick Kaegel, mlb.com KANSAS CITY -- Nothing like a couple of lopsided losses to dampen a party. The Royals, after a giddy spurt of eight victories in 10 games, were slugged again, 10-2, on Friday night, by the Seattle Mariners in front of 28,651 fans at Kauffman Stadium. That followed a 10-3 thumping by the Cleveland Indians here on Thursday night. Gil Meche, the Royals No. 1 starter, not only was pounded by the Mariners, but he left the mound in the fifth inning under the care of assistant athletic trainer Frank Kyte. Not a good sign. Word from the clubhouse was that Meche was removed because of tightness in his lower back. He will be examined again on Saturday. Meche departed with the Mariners up 7-0, the result of 11 hits that included Ichiro Suzukis game-opening homer and five doubles. The 4 1/3 innings comprised the briefest start of his 11 for the Royals. Just two starts ago, Meche was basking in the glow of a 1.91 ERA. That was before 12 earned runs in the last two outings inflated the number to 3.18. Meches record slipped to 3-3. Felix Hernandez, his opponent, also left the mound under medical escort in the sixth inning. Hernandez also was diagnosed with lower back stiffness. Hernandez at least got his first victory since coming off the disabled list in mid-May. He had five shutout innings before Shane Costas triple and Alex Gordons double each produced a run in the sixth.