Final Score: TEX 1 | KC 7

Overall Record: 20-13

Winning/Losing Pitcher

• W: John Schrieber (3-0 | 0.59 ERA)
• L: Cole Winn (0-1 | 4.91 ERA)

Royals Player of the Game

Salvador Perez

1-4, HR(8), 3 RBI

The player of this game has got to be Salvy right? I kept going over and over in my head. But it has to be the guy who put the final nail in the coffin with a mammoth blast into the Kauffman Stadium night sky. This man is the heart and soul of this organization and he continues to show how valuable he can be even into his mid-30s. I mean, there’s no denying it, Salvador Perez is one of the top hitters in the game right now. No debating, complaining, or overrated talk. This dude has silenced everyone that has had a bad thing to say about him the past few years. Salvy also is just so much better when he has a good team around him as well. And that sounds dumb, of course you do better with a good team, but Salvy just becomes so much more heightened. His clutch ability has always been something incredible, but with a fiery team with some big aspirations, he becomes an MVP. He’s currently leading the American League in RBI, leads catchers in almost every offensive category, his defensive metrics are the best they’ve been since he won Gold Gloves, and more miraculously? He’s not striking out. He is carefully crafting his Hall of Fame resume to be something to look forward to. He’s got some work to do in order to get there, but if he can keep this fire within him, look out. The best days of Salvy might be yet to come. 

Key Highlights

To start, Brady Singer looked really good against a Texas lineup that has some very scary opponents in it. And quite honestly, it’s the type of performance we’ve graciously come to expect from Singer, and this pitching staff to be honest. Singer goes six innings strong only allowing one run, four hits, and not walking a single batter. Yeah. Singer is quite great, and him headlining this rotation with Cole Ragans in the future is going to be an amazing sight to see unfold. Hunter Renfroe was also able to get it going a bit tonight with a walk in his first at bat, and hitting his third homer of the season in the bottom of the fifth. He is pretty integral to this teams’ success in my opinion. I know that sounds like heresy, but we’ve lucked out and had some younger guys step up at the beginning of the season. We are gonna need Hunter Renfroe down the stretch, and hopefully, this was a jumping off point. 

But let’s get to the exciting stuff, the bottom of the seventh. How’d we get there? Well, it started with an MJ Melendez single, which he needed pretty bad, he’s been slumping hard. He’s then pinch run for by Dairon Blanco, which we know what’s happening next. Blanco steals second, but not the way you’d think. Blanco was able to complete a delayed steal that made the catcher’s brain delay and not even warrant a throw down to second. It truly was magic the way he perfectly executed it:

Which made way for Kyle Isbel, who was able to have an RBI single driving in the flashing Blanco. That’s a big thing for Isbel, who has been struggling at the plate the past little bit. And I’ve been saying for a while…if the bottom of the lineup figures it out, call out the dogs and put out the fire. Cause the offense is already clicking, if you can get 1-9 to get it going. You will win the AL Central. Especially with the way they’ve been pitching. But as you could expect, that was not the end for this Royals group that keeps the line moving. Maikel Garcia? Single. Bobby Witt Jr.? RBI single, and stealing second on the way. Continuing to scare the absolute hell out of opponents with his speed. And honestly, the speed of the Royals in general. When this offense heads downhill you can see the fear the opponent has. Then comes Vinne Pasquantino, who does his best Adrian Beltre impression, singling into the outfield with his knee on the ground. And now steps in the Captain, El Capitan, Salvador Perez effectively cementing the lead with a  monstrous blast into the breeze. And all of a sudden it’s 7-1. A six run bottom of the seventh for this Royals team that continues to surprise many. Throw in some solid work from Angel Zerpa, Colin Selby in his Royals debut, and John Schreiber. (Who has been excellent by the way, this team is not the same without John Schreiber And you have a Royals victory on a perfect Friday night. And I leave you with this question. Are the Royals back to being elite again?

Summary of the Next Game

Saturday, we continue this series against the reigning World Series champions. With the Rangers sending out a former Royal killer, Dr. Dane Dunning (not an actual doctor, but Rex thinks he sounds like one) and the Royals having Michael Wacha take the mound to try and take the second game of this series. Wacha will try to get back on track, after having an underwhelming performance in Detroit on Sunday. If Dunning can eliminate the big inning, he could do pretty well for himself. But this Royals team has been thriving off of huge innings this whole season, so he has his work cut out for him. Saturday at 6:10 at Kauffman Stadium. Let’s continue to have huge crowds for this big series. Kansas City is an absolute electric atmosphere when the baseball team is good, so hopefully the Royals can continue to feed off that energy.