Royals Open Cubs Series with Blowout Win
The Kansas City Royals will enter their first of two series against the Chicago baseball teams, starting with the series-opening contest against the Cubs. Kansas CIty has played well since the return from All-Star Game break but dropped their last two games against the Diamondbacks. The next two series will be good opportunities for the Royals to gather and capitalize on some momentum against two skidding teams. Brady Singer will get the nod tonight for the Royals as they look to regain some lost ground in the AL Central and wildcard races.
Despite the losses, Kansas City managed to hold on to the last wildcard spot, sitting five and a half games behind the Cleveland Guardians for the division lead. Kansas City is hitting the top of their pitching rotation in this series and should have a good opportunity to pull out a series win against the sliding Cubs. Kansas City will need to capitalize early tonight against Kyle Hendricks who is bearing a dreadful 6.69 ERA on the season.
Follow Along Below:
9:19 p.m. - The Royals chose Chris Stratton to finish out the rest of the game on the mound. This was an extremely low pressure situation for Stratton who managed to close out the game with relative ease. Kansas City gets back on track and takes game one of the series. 6-0 Royals
9:00 p.m. - Will Smith came in and handled his inning, the Royals are just three outs away from closing this one out. They handled all their offensive work in just one inning but the Royals pitching has put on a dominant display since the start of the game. 6-0 Royals
8:45 p.m. - Singer endsw his night after seven innings with just two hits allowed. He has now thrown 14 scoreless innings and completed two seven game outings without allowing a run. He will improve to 7-6 barring a collapse from the Royals. 6-0 Royals
8:24 p.m. - Neither offense could produce anything in that inning and it looks like Singer may end up getting the seventh inning. The Royals have a commanding lead but can't become complacent with some of the struggles this bullpen has faced this season. 6-0 Royals
8:25 p.m. - Kansas City wasn't done yet, bringing another run across with a Vinnie Pasquantino single to centerfield. Witt Jr held at third on the single, waiting in scoring position for Salvador Perez. Instead of driving Witt Jr in with a base hit, Perez decided to take the ball deep into left field for a three-run home run to extend the Royals lead to six runs after this explosive inning. 6-0 Royals
8:21 p.m. - Kansas City strikes first in the bottom of the fifth inning as Adam Frazier flares a ball to right field with two outs, bringing in Hampson and Isbel from second and third. Sieya Suzuki looked like he had a play on the ball, making a mistake by starting backwards on the shallow fly ball before it landed just by his glove. The Royals get the scoring started with some two-out magic. 2-0 Royals
8:11 p.m. - Brady Singer finds himself in trouble for the first time with runners on second and third with no outs. Singer managed a ground out without allowing the runners to score, making it a more manageable situation. Miguel Amaya came up and flew out to shallow center fiel, Isbel braced up and fired home to catch Tauchman on the tag and stop a run from scoring. Singer's scoreless streak stays alive from a some great defensive play. 0-0
7:56 p.m. - Brady Singer allowed his first baserunner after a bases loaded walk with two outs, regardless he would retire the very next batter for the Cubs to end the inning. He now has four strikeouts in four innings and extends his scoreless streak to 11 innings. 0-0
7:50 p.m. - Kyle Hendricks retires the first three Royals he sees in the third inning. There has been a lack of meaningful offense from either side, with just two hits from the Royals in three innings. Neither pitcher has gotten deep into their pitch count meaning that the offenses need to figure out these pitchers sooner than later. 0-0
7:42 p.m. - Brady Singer has still yet to allow a single baserunner after going once through the entire order in just 39 total pitches. It has been 13 days since Singer last allowed a run, currently holding a 10 inning scoreless streak. Kansas City will hope to get him some run support to back his great performance so far. 0-0
7:32 p.m. - Michael Massey jumped all over a low and away fastball, blasting it to deep center-field. The contact would have been a home run in 19/30 MLB ballparks, but in Kauffman it was just a deep fly out. Neither team has been able to open the scoring and only the Royals have produced a base runner through two innings. 0-0
7:27 p.m. - Brady Singer has been on a tear in his recent outings. He has now retired six Cubs batters in just 27 total pitches. Singer has been often times overlooked in a rotation with Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo, but he has been every but of All-Star caliber in his own right. 0-0
7:17 p.m. - Adam Frazier missed a home run by just a few feet foul before being plunked on the arm with a pitch. The home plate said that he stuck his elbow out and would have to stay at the plate, much to the annoyance of Royals manager Matt Quatraro who came out and argued with the call. Frazier would line out on an amazing diving play by Cubs second basemen Nico Hoerner. Kansas City would go down without any dangerous offense in the first. 0-0
7:10 p.m. - Brady Singer makes easy work of the first three cubs in order. The Royals have much improved their early game pitching at the top of rotation. 0-0
How to watch:
Where: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO.
When: First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. CT.
TV: You can watch the game on Bally Sports KC or MLB.TV (blackouts may apply depending on location).
Starting Pitchers
KC - Brady Singer (6-6, 3.00 ERA)
CHC - Kyle Hendricks (2-8, 6.69 ERA)
Batting Order/Lineup
KC: 1. Adam Frazier (DH) 2. Bobby Witt Jr. (SS) 3. Vinnie Pasquantino (1B) 4. Salvador Perez (C) 5. Michael Massey (2B) 6. Hunter Renfroe (RF) 7. Nick Loftin (3B) 8. Garrett Hampson (LF) 9. Kyle Isbel (CF)
CHC: 1. Nico Hoerner (2B) 2. Michael Busch (SS) 3. Seiya Suzuki (RF) 4. Ian Happ (LF) 5. Mike Tauchman (DH) 6. Dansby Swanson (SS) 7. Miles Mastrobuoni (3B) 8. Miguel Amaya (C) 9. Pete Crow-Armstrong (CF)
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Austin is a sports journalist from Kansas City, Mo. He is a freshman at The University of Missouri-Columbia, pursuing a degree in sports journalism.