KANSAS CITY (AP) - Nate Adcock had a wacky, crazy, whirlwind homestand for the Royals, although the 24-year-old right-hander was not in Kansas City that much. He still managed to absorb two losses in five days.
Adcock was an emergency starter Sunday and took the loss, giving up a run in five innings as Arizona Diamondbacks rookie left-hander Wade Miley and two relievers combined to shut out the Royals 2-0.
The homestand began Wednesday with Adcock taking the loss in 15 innings to the Baltimore Orioles. Adcock gave up three hits and a run on Adams Jones' home run. The next day the Royals optioned Adcock to Triple-A Omaha as they needed fresh arms and a long reliever.
Saturday, the Royals placed Everett Teaford, who was recalled Thursday and scheduled to start Sunday, on the disabled list with a lower abdominal strain. The Royals recalled Adcock to start in Teaford's spot.
So did Adcock remember what town he was in?
"I'm in Kansas City and that's a good thing," Adcock said. "I'm glad to be here and hopefully help these guys win. I can't remember what's all going on. The goal is to be in the big leagues and anytime you get the opportunity to perform it's a blessing to me and hopefully I get to stay here."
Adcock allowed two runs and eight hits in 10 innings on this homestand, but was 0-2.
"I'm pleased with the way I pitched, but the outcome I'm not pleased with," Adcock said. "Losing is not fun. I wish we could have gotten a win out of this, but we didn't."
Miley outpitched Adcock, limiting the Royals to five hits while throwing 99 pitches. He walked two and struck out three, sending Kansas City to its 17th loss in 22 home games this season.
"Nate pitched his butt off today," said Jeff Francoeur, who had four of the seven Kansas City hits. "He's been up and down, on planes, pitching in 15-inning games and doing what he did today. As a group today offensively we didn't get it done."
David Hernandez and J.J. Putz each pitched an inning to finish off the shutout. Putz earned his ninth save in 11 opportunities with a spotless ninth.
Francoeur's four hits matched his career high. It was Francoeur's 10th four-hit game and first since Aug. 23, 2011, at Toronto.
Paul Goldschmidt led off the Diamondbacks fifth with a double, stopped at third on Aaron Hill's single and scored on McDonald's bunt single first baseman Eric Hosmer failed to field cleanly.
The Royals got four runners to third base - Francoeur in the second and fifth, and Billy Butler in the fourth and eighth - but failed to get them home. They went 0-for-5 with runners at third and 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
Francoeur tripled off the right-field wall with two outs in the sixth for Kansas City's only extra-base hit. Alex Gordon grounded out to end the inning.
The Royals' best chance to score came in the fourth. Butler led off with a walk and advanced to second on Francoeur's single before Gordon moved up both runners with a groundout. Miley, however, pitched out of danger by retiring Hosmer on an infield popup and Brayan Pena on a grounder.
The Diamondbacks manufactured a run without a hit in the eighth. Gerardo Parra led off with a walk and Ryan Roberts sacrificed. Greg Holland's wild pitch allowed Parra to reach third and Justin Upton hit a sacrifice fly to right.
The Royals were shut out for the fourth time. They are 2-8 when the opponent starts a left-hander.
Adcock said he hoped he showed enough to earn another start.