Final Score: KC 7 | CIN 1

Overall Record: 67-55

Winning/Losing Pitcher

• W: Micheal Lorenzen (6-6 | 3.68 ERA)
• L: Nick Martinez (6-6 | 3.25 ERA)

Royals Player of the Game

Bobby Witt Jr. 

3-4, HR(25), 2B, RBI, 3 R, BB

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Bobby Witt Jr. is the best player that I have ever seen in a Royals uniform. It’s not crazy to say, and I’m sure a lot of people would have the same opinion as me if they were born after 1993. To top it off, homering with a Pablo Sanchez bat for players weekend? Yeah, that went ahead and let me know he’s not playing around. Is Bobby Witt Jr. the real life secret weapon? I’d say so. He continues his mastery in Cincinnati, where he blasts a 440 foot solo shot into the second deck. Needless to say, he killed that one. 

The most impressive hit from Friday? A double blistered up the right field line, proving he can pull the ball a mile, and also stay back and aim it up the line in the OTHER direction. He IS Pablo Sanchez from Backyard Baseball right now, an absolute MVP of this team, and maybe the league. His infield single in the seventh also was something to marvel at, with Noelvi Marte making an incredible diving stop at third. He gets up and throws…and it’s not even close. That is the insane play with Bob. He has Rickey Henderson speed, but can also hit with the best in the world. We are witnessing greatness, and you have to tune in every second. One crazy stat on the broadcast last night was that since July 1st, he has more multi-hit games (23) than total strikeouts (19). Yes you read that right, that is bonkers. All in all, Bob finished a triple shy of the cycle, and had the opportunity for it in the ninth. Until the Reds decided to strip him of that opportunity, by intentionally walking him. Cowards. Wonder how that played out for them…we’ll get to that in a second. Anyway, Bobby Witt Jr. is the best player in baseball and you can’t change my mind. When it comes to Player of the Game, it’s getting to the point where Mahomes is at. Where you know Bob is the best player on the field, and he could get it every night. So, you need to give it to someone else…but tonight he was a wrecking crew. And a Pablo Sanchez bat? Nobody should have even pitched to him at all.

Key Highlights

This one was a pitcher’s duel for most of the night, with both Lorenzen and Martinez getting through the first three innings unscathed. Wasn’t til the fourth when Bobby hit his homer when the scoring started. Tip your cap to Lorenzen, who went into his former home and pitched really well against the Reds. I think that Friday night in a nutshell was the reason they went to go get Michael Lorenzen at the deadline. He didn’t have his best stuff, he was walking hitters to leadoff an inning, and he still battled and got out of it. He really impressed me with how he dealt with runners on and getting out of an inning. Then as the night went on, he settled down, until the sixth inning. Where he gives up a run on a bang bang play at the plate. He’s replaced with Kris Bubic who gets the last batter out in the inning, and Lorenzen only gives up one run in five and two thirds. In the top of the sixth, the Royals offense got a couple more in, with an RBI single from Salvador Perez, and everyone’s favorite Royal, Adam Frazier, getting his second hit of the game with an RBI single with two outs. Say what you want about Frazier, but with runners in scoring position he’s actually pretty decent. This is where the offense stopped for the night until the ninth. Where it’s 3-1 with a runner on first for Freddy Fermin. Who doubles up the left field line making the score now 4-1. Freddy’s season will be studied at the end of the year, I know it. Which brings us back to what was said at the top. The Reds, cowardly, intentionally walk Bobby Witt Jr., not giving him the opportunity to complete the cycle with two outs in the ninth down by three runs already. What happens next is honestly one of the best moments of the season for Kansas City. Vinnie Pasquantino hits a three-run missile into the right field seats putting a stake through the heart of the Reds. I bet they wished they only allowed a triple now. 

Carlos Hernandez comes in to close it down in the ninth and the Royals are victorious, 7-1. Hernandez actually showed some real gas at the end of this one. Consistently hitting 100+ on the radar gun, which we know he can do he has to locate. But he would be a welcome addition to the bullpen if he can get it going down the stretch. Remember, he was pretty good for most of the season last year, so we’ll see. All in all, the Royals get it done and hope to continue to stack wins. 

Summary of the Next Game

The Boys in Blue will continue their series in Cincinnati on Saturday, with Michael Wacha taking the hill for Kansas City, while Nick Lodolo takes the mound for the Reds. Lodolo has been impressive this season, winning nine games and having an ERA in the threes. The lefty is starting to solidify himself as a mainstay in the Reds rotation, as he helps continue their pitching masterclass they’ve had all season. Wacha’s last start was against his former team, the Cardinals, where he fired seven innings of two-run baseball. He has been excellent down the stretch for the Royals, and he will need to continue that throughout the next month and a half as they get closer to the postseason. Two young, exciting teams will continue their bout on Saturday evening at 5:40 CST. We have an exciting pitching matchup, and hopefully the Royals can continue to gain ground in the Central and continue their playoff aspirations.

Photo Credit: Jason Hanna/Kansas City Royals