Worst Games Ever

Tonight's 19-1 beat-down at the hands of the Cleveland Indians is truly one for the Royals history books.

Number of times the Royals have allowed:

17 runs: 9

18 runs: 6

19 runs: 5

20 runs: 0

21 runs: 2

22 runs: 1

While allowing 17 or 18 runs does not come around often, you are really entering rarefied territory at 19. It has happened only eight times in 42.25 seasons, or once every 838 games.

The 18 run margin of defeat is even more rare—it is the worst differential in club history, and just the third time it has occurred. The first was in a 21-3 loss in 2000, and the second was less than a year ago when the Royals lost by an identical 19-1 score. It took 31 seasons for the Royals to lose by 18, but they've accomplished it three times in the last 12 years.

Seven of the eight worst runs allowed games have come in Kansas City. I wish I had some brilliant theory as to why that is, but I am dumbfounded.

The eight games in which the Royals allowed 19 or more runs, the pitching lowlights (and how they fared in their next game):

• 19-3
  July 28, 1973 vs. Angels
  Ken Wright .2 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, Bruce Dal Canton .1 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, Gene Garber 5.0 IP, 9 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 4 BB
  (W 7-0 vs. Angels)
  
• 22-11
  April 12, 1994 vs. A's
  Kevin Appier 3.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, Stan Belinda 1.0 IP, 2 H, 8 R, 2 ER, 4 BB
  (W 2-1 vs. Red Sox)
  
• 21-3
  June 18, 2000 vs. A's
  Jeff D'Amico 2.0 IP, 6 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 5 BB, Miguel Batista 1.0 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 BB
  (W 8-6 at Angels)
  
• 19-3
  September 27, 2003 vs. White Sox
  Jamey Wright 2.1 IP, 5 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 4 BB, Kris Wilson 2.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, Brad Voyles 2.2 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 1 BB
  (L 1-5 vs. White Sox)
  
• 21-6
  August 25, 2004 at Angels
  Mike Wood 3.1 IP, 6 H, 8 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, Shawn Camp 6 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, Scott Sullivan 2.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 BB
  (W 7-3 at Mariners)
  
• 19-4
  July 21, 2008 vs. Tigers
  Luke Hochevar 5.0 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 1 BB, Jimmy Gobble 1.0 IP, 7 H, 10 R, 10 ER, 4 BB
  (L 1-7 vs. Tigers)
  
• 19-1
  July 26, 2010 vs. Twins (I was there!)
  Zack Greinke 4.0 IP, 8 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 2 BB, Kanekoa Texeira 1.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB
  (L 2-11 vs. Twins)
  
• 19-1
  May 16, 2011 vs. Indians
  Kyle Davies .1 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, Vin Mazzaro 2.1 IP, 11 H, 14 R, 14 ER, 3 BB
  (The Royals host me and others at Blog Your Way To The K)