Live Updates: Kansas City Royals vs. Cleveland Guardians (Game One)
Kansas City played this game exactly how they needed to. The Royals pitching fought through baserunners and tough innings to keep Kansas City close enough to striking distance that when a chance arised it could be taken. Michael Wacha has been great since his return from injury, offering up 5.1 innings of one run baseball tonight. Kansas City had been lacking a full game pitching display from both their starter and bullpen but tonight it came together in the best way for the Royals.
The shutdown pitching allowed for a stagnant offense to do just enough late to come away with a win. The Royals capitalized off of a tough ball to right field that could have been caught, but instead turned into a deep triple for Kyle Isbel who narrowly avoided the tag on his way into third. Maikel Garcia would him in with an RBI triple before picking up a run of his own on a sacrifice fly. The Royals have shown many ways to win, whether that be by explosive offense or timely comebacks, but adding a pitching domination over one of the best teams in the league has to feel good.
How It Happened:
9:24 p.m. - The stadium went black and the closer music came on for James McArthur as he made his entrance. High leverage reliever spots have haunted the Royals this year, but much like the relievers before him it was never an issue. McArthur put down three batters in a row to the roaring applause of the Kauffman crowd, giving Kansas City the game one win in a very important series. 2-1 Royals
9:12 p.m. - This is exactly the outing that Kansas City needed from their pitching all around. The Royals ability to work around baserunners and get quality innings from relievers tonight is the reason that two runs will win this game. John Schrieber just had his best inning since early June to follow Long's great innings, putting down the Guardians in order. 2-1 Royals
8:58 p.m. - Sam Long had a great outing tonight across both his innings of relief work. Allowing just a single walk and putting away five batters, two in a crucial relief outing. The Royals have been looking for consistent and able pitching from the bullpen, if Long can put together more outings like this one he will find himself making a lot more appearances. 2-1 Royals
8:45 p.m. - The Royals hit a smooth transition from great relief pitching to great hitting, leading off the bottom of the seventh inning with back-to-back triples from Isbel and Garcia. Both narrowly avoided the tag after aggressively taking third, bringing a run acorss and tying the game. Kansas City would get another RBI off of Lively with a long sacrifice to take the lead. 2-1 Royals
8:40 p.m. - Keeping Kansas City in striking range! Sam Long comes in to face batters at the corners, and strikes out Steven Kwan to send the inning to the bottom half. Long struck out two batters without allowing a runner to come in from third, a great outing for the young reliever. Kansas City is still right in this one. 1-0 Guardians
8:26 p.m. - Royals manager Matt Quatraro has been ejected from the game after arguing with third-base umpire Tripp Gibson over an out-of-the-baseline call on Nick Loftin trying to get to third base. Kansas City has been fighting to gather offense all night and find themselves lucky to only be down a run. 1-0 Guardians
8:13 p.m. - The Guardians manage to come across first, earning a long fly ball to drive across a runner. Kansas City hasn't been able to get out of their way with runners on-base, consistently hitting into double plays that kill all of their momentum. The bullpen will need to keep it close for the Royals offense, a feat that they have struggled with recently. 1-0 Guardians
8:00 p.m. - Kauffman Stadium saved Michael Wacha and the Royals some runs. Andres Gimenez hit a middle-middle fastball 400 feet to center-field, a ball that would have been a home run in 22/30 stadiums, instead it was a caught fly ball that sent the runner back to first. Following that a great play by Nick Loftin, an unusual face at third base for the Royals this season, the Royals would get out of the inning without allowing any runs. 0-0
7:52 p.m. - Unlucky, but on-brand half inning for Kansas City. Hunter Renfroe hit a ball deep off the left-field wall but a quick gather relay held him to only a single base. Kyle Isbel then struck out on a strike three call that he disagreed with before Maikel Garcia would hit into an unconventional 3-6 double play. Kansas City is struggling to put together base runners or meaningfully move the ones they can create. 0-0
7:46 p.m. - What an absolutely fantastic play by Hunter Renfroe to take away a baserunner! Jose Ramirez sliced a ball down the right field line and attempted to make an aggressive turn at two, Renfroe gunned him down and Witt Jr remained focused on the tag to get Ramirez as he popped off the base during his slide. Wacha would finish the inning and the defense is looking good today from the Royals. 0-0
7:37 p.m. - Salvador Perez opened the inning with a single that sliced into left field, that was it for the Royals. Kansas City has struggled to get anything going so far on offens. Neither team has put a run on the board yet but Cleveland's have been able to to drive up Wacha's pitch count, much better than the Royals have been able to on Lively, and that could become a deciding factor in this game. 0-0
7:30 p.m. - Michael Wacha struggled in that inning with his command, allowing two base-runners to reach by way of walk and one by a hit-by-pitch. Though, Wacha would eventually come through after a mound visit by Perez and a wonderful play by Witt Jr to retire Kwan at first. Wacha did a great job to settle down and finish the inning scoreless, but he has already thrown 46 total pitches through two innings after only finishing five innings in his last outing. Of course you never want to rush a pitcher back from injury, but Wacha can not consistently only pitch four or five innings for the bullpen's sake. 0-0
7:22 p.m. - Ben Lively and the Guardians respond with a scoreless inning of their own, putting the Royals down in order. Despite the lack of baserunners, Witt Jr hit a ball 117 MP, unluckily for him it flew straight to left fielder Steven Kwan. 0-0
7:19 p.m. - Michael Wacha starts the game with a scoreless first half inning, a good sign fom the Royals who can often fall behind early. Wacha would have sent the Guardians down in order if not for a controversial check-swing call by third-base umpire Tripp Gibson on what would have been the final strike of the inning. 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 - Michael Wacha (4-6, 4.07 ERA)
CLE - Ben Lively (7-3, 3:03 ERA)
Batting Order/Lineup
KC: 1. Maikel Garcia (2B) 2. Bobby Witt Jr. (SS) 3. Vinnie Pasquantino (1B) 4. Salvador Perez (C) 5. Michael Massey (DH) 6. Nick Loftin (3B) 7. MJ Melendez (LF) 8. Hunter Renfroe (3B) 9. Kyle Isbel (CF)
SEA: 1. Steven Kwan (LF) 2. Daniel Schneemann (RF) 3. Jose Ramirez (3B) 4. Josh Naylor (1B) 5. David Fry (DH) 6. Andres Gimenez (2B) 7. Gabriel Arias (SS) 8. Bo Naylor (C) 9. Tyler Freeman (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.