Royals' Big Fifth Inning Leads to Comeback in Doubleheader Opener at St. Louis

The Royals won the first of two games at Busch Stadium on Wednesday.

Jun 28, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals outfielder Hunter Renfroe (16) watches a pop fly during the second inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports / William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports

St. Louis Cardinals starter Andre Pallante was rolling right along Wednesday afternoon until the fifth inning. That's when the Royals bats came alive, and that key frame set the stage for what became Kansas City's 50th win of the 2024 season. The Royals won 6-4 at Busch Stadium.

The two Missouri teams played the first half of a split doubleheader in the early afternoon, and the Cardinals (48-43) got to Royals starter Alec Marsh quickly. In the second inning, star third baseman Nolan Arenado mashed a solo home run to get his team on the board. In the third, right fielder Alec Burleson made Marsh pay for a leadoff walk of the catcher with a one-out, two-run blast.

Offensively, the Royals (50-43) were nearly lifeless until the fifth inning, save for a base knock by right fielder Hunter Renfroe in the top of the second. Renfroe then got things started in the fifth with a leadoff ground-rule double, and things snowballed on Pallante from there. Renfroe, Freddy Fermin and MJ Melendez started the inning with three consecutive hits, and that cut the deficit to 3-1. Center fielder Garrett Hampson then hit a one-out, two-run double to tie things up. In the top of the sixth, All-Star Salvador Perez gave Kansas City the lead with his 15th home run of the season.

Pallante and Marsh each threw 101 pitches, Marsh in six innings and Pallante in 6.1. It was critical, as saving arms becomes an all the more crucial part of a game in a doubleheader. Kansas City's backend arms held serve, allowing just one Cardinal run after entering the game: a one-out solo shot by Paul Goldschmidt in the bottom of the ninth. Meanwhile, the Royals scored two runs in the top of the eighth off Chris Roycroft, including Perez's second RBI of the game. Renfroe had two hits in the game and started the game-changing rally.

St. Louis brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth, with center fielder Lars Nootbaar facing James McArthur. Arenado was at second base, having singled with two away. Nootbaar lined out to end it, but the day is not yet won for Kansas City. First pitch for the second game of the split doubleheader is set for 6:45 p.m. CT.