The Royals offense took the lead in the first inning and never looked back
They go up against one of the worst pitchers of the 2022 season Jose Berrios. He led the American League in both hits and runs earned. Kansas City was able to get on him early. The following half of the inning Kansas City’s offense started cooking.
The Royals came out ready to swing the bat with MJ Melendez getting on base with a lead-off double. Bobby Whitt Jr would drive him in with a ground ball back up the middle. Michael Massy would hit a ground ball, on a first pitch swing to get on first base and allow Whitt Jr to get to third. Kyle Isbel would then hit the ball in the back up the middle with the same result. Whitt Jr came to score, Massy moved to third and the Royals got a two run lead. Hunter Dozier hit a soft ground chopper to the second baseman to get his first RBI of the season with a fielder choice. to put the Royals up by three. With that, the Royals have their first multi-run lead of the season.
2022 Royals pitcher of the year Brady Singer got his 2023 season debut. He set down the Blue Jays in order to start the game. Slider worked in on left-handed batters and was able to get ahead of. One big reason Singer had such a turnaround last season is he dramatically lessened his walk rake. over the 2021-2022 seasons he was walking batters at 9% last year he got that down to almost 5%
Royals manager Matt Quatraro talked about the importance of the base running and making solid contact in the Royals’ win.
“I thought they were well prepared and they squared some balls up,” Quatraro said. “The other thing that really stood out was the base running going first to third two or three times in that one inning, forcing the issue taking advantage of our athleticism was big. ”
Dozier pules the ball to left field and Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a sinking line drive to shallow left two put runners on first and second with no outs
Nicky Lopez smoked a ball to center left field to get his first triple of the season. That put the Royals up 5-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning. Vinnie Pasquantino would drive in his first run of the season with a line drive down the first baseline.
Whitt Jr would drive in his second run of the day with another hard-hit ball right back up the middle. He would be thrown out trying to make it to third base after the throw to the plate hit the mound.
Brandon Belt started off the fifth inning with a walk. Chapman hit his second double of the day to put runners at second and third with no outs. Cavan Biggio would walk to load the bases with nobody out Kevin Kiermaier up to bat. Kiermaier would hit a ground ball to hit into a 5-4-3 double play. However, Toronto would get their first run of the game. That would be the end of trouble as the Blue Jays would strand a runner at third.
Ryan Yarbrough would come in to relieve in the sixth inning and after allowing two baserunners and throwing over 30 pitches Kansas City maintained their six-run lead.
Melendez crushed a sinker that stayed up in the zone, a ball 443 feet deep into the right field fountains. That moved their lead up to eight with a score of 9-1.
Toronto would respond in the seventh inning. Yarbrough would allow one run to come in to score and would hand the game off to Jose Cuas. Cuas would give up one run although the box score would give responsibility to Yarbrough.
Dylan Coleman came in the eighth inning. Coleman walked Chapman and Biggio hit a ball just high enough to be out of the reach of Pasquentino’s reach, putting runners at the corners. Chapman would then come into score on a wild pitch
Bochete closed the gap a little bit with his first home run of the year in the top of the ninth. That would be the last gasp of air for the Blue Jays’ offense the Royals would claim their first victory of the year
Both Lopez and Whitt Jr. would get their first stolen base of the year.
Kansas City continues its four-game series tomorrow against the Blue Jays. First pitch is at 6:40.
