The double landed in left field and pitching coach Dave Eiland retreated to a secure phone line inside the Kansas City dugout. For the fourth time in five innings, he rang the bullpen. As Eiland spoke into the phone, Royals manager Ned Yost stalked onto the diamond. He had seen enough of Yordano Ventura.
In the latest chapter of a maddening, mystifying second season, Ventura weathered a pounding from the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 10-7 defeat. Ventura allowed six runs, the most he has given up in 14 outings this season, and departed with no outs in the fifth.