For the third game in a row, the game got off to a hot start with another first-inning home run for the Royals. Bobby Witt Jr was able to hammer a 115 mph one-out single, and then was followed up by a line drive opposite field home run by Maikel Garcia. The offense once again started hot, and today they gave Cole Ragans a two-run cushion as he returns from injury and puts the Cardinals on their heels.
Ragans got into some trouble in the first inning, walking the first batter and then a single to Masyn Wynn to give the Cardinals runners on first and second with no outs. Ragans struck out Brendan Donovan, but a single by Wilson Contreras gave the Cardinals a first-inning run, cutting their deficit in half. Ragans got out of it with two pop-ups, but he was knocked around a bit, and it took him 23 pitches to get out of the first.
Both pitchers were able to follow up with good second innings to get back on track, but in the third, the Royals showed their teeth again. Freddy Fermin hit a leadoff 406-foot home run into the third deck in left field to give the Royals their third run in as many innings. From there, the bats caught fire.
Jonathan India followed up with a single to put a runner on with no outs. Bobby Witt Jr struck out for the first out of the inning. From there, Kansas City was able to break the game open. Maikel Garcia hit a double, and Vinnie Pasquantino hit a sacrifice grounder to drive in India. With two outs, Salvador Perez came to the plate and showed yet again in a doubleheader with a shot to left field. Jac Caglianone hit a chopper to second base and was thrown out on a close play to end the inning with the Royals up 5-1.
Not to be outdone, the Cardinals came up in the bottom of the third and tagged Ragans again. Another leadoff walk came back to bite Ragans as a single by Brendan Donovan was followed up by a double by Wilson Contreras, and gave the Cardinals two runs before the Royals could record an out.
Ragans nearly gave up another hit to Ivan Herrera, who lined one to left field, but an unbelievable play by Bobby Witt Jr, where he dove superman style, appeared to save a run. Unfortunately for the Royals, Nolan Arenado came to the plate and took a low fastball over the left field fence to tie the game. Ragans forced a ground out to get the second out, walked Vilade, and got a strikeout looking on Victor Scott to get out of the inning tied 5-5.
The Royals immediately answered in the fourth, as a Mark Canha double was followed by a double from Nick Loftin to give the Royals the lead yet again. Liberatore was able to work around it and limited the damage to just one run in the inning. With the run scored, the Royals elected to hand the ball off to Angel Zerpa with a one-run lead for the bottom of the fourth. Zerpa’s first pitch hit Nootbaar, but he was able to force a double play and a ground out to get out of the inning unharmed.
The Royals’ offense threatened again in the fifth. Garcia led off the inning with a nine-pitch walk, and Liberatore was pulled before recording an out with what appeared to be a minor injury. Garcia proceeded to steal second, get to third on a Vinnie Pasquantino sacrifice, and scored on a one-out single by Salvador Perez. A strikeout by Jac Caglianone and a ground out by Canha put an end to the inning with the Royals up 7-5.
Both starting pitchers really struggled, with Ragans only making it three innings and allowed five runs in his return to the mound. Fortunately for him, the Matthew Liberatore struggled as well, giving up seven over his four innings. The starters were the only players to allow a run until… and the game quickly became a battle of the bullpens.
Angel Zerpa came out of the bullpen for Cole Ragans and gave the team 3 scoreless innings in the fourth fifth and sixth. It looked like the Royals would tack on even more after they got their first two hitters on in the top of the sixth. Jonathan India grounded out, Bobby Witt struck out, and Maikel Garcia popped out for a quiet end to an inning that seemed promising.
Steven Cruz was next up out of the Royals bullpen and he was able to provide two scoreless innings with with four strikeouts as well. The Cardinals bullpen was nails as well, with King, Leahy, Svanson, and Maton entering the game and giving five scoreless innings to keep them in the game. But the Royals bullpen was just as good and Carlos Estevez was able to come in and get the save to give the Royals a 7-5 victory.
This was a big bounce back game for the Royals, as the offense was alive again and the bullpen showed resilience coming back from a tough game one. The Royals will head to Chicago for a three game series starting tomorrow night.
Winners
Maikel Garcia – 2-3, 2 walks, 3 runs scored, 2 RBIs, 1 HR
Salvador Perez – 2-5, 2 RBIs
Carlos Estevez – Bounced back and got his 100th career save
Angel Zerpa – 3 scoreless innings with 4 Ks
Steven Cruz – 2 scoreless with 4 Ks
Losers
Cole Ragans – 3 IP, 5 H, 3 BBs, 5 ER struggled with velocity and command in his first start back from the injured list
Jac Caglianone – 0-4 with 3 Ks, was solid in RF defensively
The Cardinals!!!!