Today in Kansas City, the Royals took on the Cardinals in a classic I-70 series day game. The two teams entered today’s game with momentum that could not be more different. The Royals are in a brutal slump where they have dropped their last four games and six of their last seven. On the other side of the diamond, the Cardinals were one of the hottest teams in baseball, having won 12 of their last 13 games. Fortunately, Kansas City was able to get back on track with a big 2-1 win to close the series before they head to San Francisco.
In the first inning, both teams were able to get some early offense, with both teams getting two first-inning singles but stranding both of their runners on first and second. For the first three innings, there was minimal offense, with several slapped singles, but no runs scored until the fourth inning, where Alec Burleson was able to break the stalemate with a solo home run.
The Royals immediately were able to bring the game back to a tie after they were able to find some offense in the bottom of the fourth. Hunter Renfroe started things off with a double and barely advanced on Michael Massey’s fly ball to center field due to Victor Scott’s incredible throw to third, which would have been the third out of the inning. Nonetheless, Dairon Blanco came up with two outs and got a double down the first base line that drove in Renfroe and tied the game.
Both starting pitchers put together excellent outings. For the Royals, Michael Wacha had some long innings as he gave up eight hits, but only allowed one run on a solo shot and tallied six strikeouts. For the Cardinals, Matthew Liberatore was able to go six innings, allowing six hits, but managed to only allow one run and was able to give the game to the bullpen in a 1-1 tie.
The tie broke in the seventh inning, when Drew Waters came on as a pinch hitter for Dairon Blanco was able to line one up the first base line for a leadoff triple. Maikel Garcia followed him up with a single to right field to give the Royals a 2-1 lead going into the eighth.
Lucas Erceg entered the game for the last out of the seventh and returned for the eighth, where he got knocked around some, but with a double play and a strikeout, he was able to get out of the inning unscathed. Kansas City also caused some trouble in the eighth inning, with a single from Vinnie Pasquantino with one out and a passed ball to advance the runner to second. But two popouts ended the inning, and Estevez was able to close the game and hang on to the one-run lead in the ninth to get the win.
Winners
- Salvador Perez – 2 hits in 4 ABs, hit the ball hard in each AB despite a slump entering today.
- Dairon Blanco – 1 hit in 2 ABs and 1 RBI to tie the game, played good defense in center field.
- Drew Waters – 1 for 1 at the plate with a triple, game-winning run
- Royals’ bullpen – allowed 4 hits in 4 innings, no earned runs, Estevez got the save
Losers
- Bobby Witt Jr – 0 for 4, played great defense, and he will be fine
- Freddy Fermin – 0 for 3, intentionally walked in the eighth, also played good defense
