The walk from the mound to the dugout required 19 seconds, a slow, lonely march for Royals pitcher Burch Smith. The last time he departed a game here at Kauffman Stadium, only 17 days ago, the crowd offered him a standing ovation, and he left with his first pitching victory in five seasons.
On Friday, just 32 minutes after unleashing his first toss, this was a quieter stroll, with no one waiting to greet him at the top step of the dugout.
It had turned into a landslide early.
The Cardinals pounced on Smith for five runs on their way to 7-0 win in front of an announced crowd of 29,414 fans at Kauffman Stadium.