Final Score KCR 2 | TEX 6
Overall Record 42-35 (2nd Place, 7 GB)
Winning/Losing Pitcher
- W: Nate Eovaldi (4-3, 3.14 ERA)
- L: John Schreiber (3-2, 4.15 ERA)
Royals Player of the Game
Brady Singer – 5 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Singer was basically the sole reason the Royals had any shot to win this game. He only covered five innings over 89 pitches, but he held the Rangers to one run and kept the Royals in the lead going into the sixth. As usual, Singer had a lot of sinkers and fastballs. Singer still does not seem to have confidence in his changeup. He got into trouble quite a few times, so, surprisingly, he didn’t give up any more runs. Singer living and dying with the two-pitch combo has made it easy for some teams to get to him, so the bullpen coming in during the sixth time almost made sense.
Key Highlights
The bullpen, unfortunately, came in and quickly gave up the lead that the Royals held. John Schreiber was first up, and his struggles continued mightily. He went a third of an inning, giving up three earned and blowing the Royals lead. Following Schreiber, lefty Sam Long came in and was not much better. He gave up two and earned over two-thirds of an inning. Carlos Hernandez and Nick Anderson pitched clean innings, but it was too late for the Royals to mount any comeback as the offense was stifled by the Rangers bullpen in innings seven through nine.
It was another quiet day for the offense besides a solo shot from Kyle Isbel in the top of the fifth. Isbel was pinch-hit for in his second at-bat by Garrett Hampson. Isbel was suffering from lower back tightness. Hampson came through, driving in one with an RBI single. It’s never good when the only production from your lineup comes from the nine-hole hitters. Maikel Garcia was also back in this game at the leadoff spot and got a hit for the first time in 20 at-bats.
Summary of the Next Game
The Royals will head into the second game of the season hoping they can pull off a series win against the below .500 Rangers. RHP Michael Wacha (4-5, 4.24) will be activated from the injured list and take the mound for the Royals. He will face off against Jon Gray (2-3, 3.31 ERA)
