The night pressed on, and the zeroes flashed on the video board in right field inside Globe Life Park. The Royals’ season played out to a familiar, monotonous script.
On the mound, Danny Duffy, and then the bullpen, were dominant. In the batter’s box, the offense was desolate. All night, the question lingered: Which side would give first?
The answer would not come in nine innings. It would not come after Royals reliever Mike Minor pushed the game to the 12th with three scoreless innings. It would not end after Eric Hosmer led off the top of the 12th with a walk, and pinch runner Whit Merrifield stole second following a fielder’s choice from Salvador Perez.