Image Credit: AP Photo / Charlie Riedel
Final Score: DET 3 | KC 8
Overall Record: 32-19
Winning/Losing Pitcher
W: Cole Ragans (4-3 | 3.34 ERA)
L: Tarik Skubal (6-1 | 2.25 ERA)
Royals Player(s) of the Game
Cole Ragans: 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 12 K, 3 BB
Okay, at this point I’m ready to just assume that my weekly game recap will feature the starting pitcher every single time. I have done seven recaps and all seven have featured a good to great outing from the starting pitcher. This week is certainly no different. Ragans set his career high in strikeouts with a dozen. Through the third inning, seven of his nine outs had come via strikeout. He allowed just a single hit, which came on his next to last batter of the day. He allowed multiple baserunners just twice the whole game. Even though he only went six innings, it was one of the most dominant performances by a Royals pitcher so far this season (which is saying a lot given how good the Royals pitcher have been).
Bobby Witt Jr: 2-4, 2 RBI, 1 R
Witt continued his hot streak, with a pair of hits to finish off the Royals second straight sweep. On the six game home stand, he collected 10 hits and 10 RBI. His average sits at .308, which is 13th in the entire league (and amazingly only second on his own team). He is also fourth in the league in stolen bases and leads the league in runs. He is well on his way to making his first All-Star appearance and could very well be an MVP finalist if this type of production continues throughout the season.
Other Highlights
Nelson Velazquez hit his fourth homerun and raised his average back up to .226. Freddy Fermin continued his hot streak, collecting two more hits (and three RBI) and raising his average all the way up to .299. The bottom half of the order continues to improve as a whole. The 5-9 batters combined for five RBI and drew three walks, setting up the top of the order for more success.
Summary of the Next Game
The Royals are off on Thursday before travel to Tampa Bay to take on the Rays. Seth Lugo will be back on the mound, looking for yet another quality start. He has notched a quality start in eight of his 10 games to start the season, and only failed to do so the other two games due to a high pitch count. The Rays have yet to name a starter for the first game.