By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
The Kansas City Royals battled from behind again, but this time came out on top and evened up their opening series with the Cleveland Guardians at one game apiece, winning 4-3 on Saturday afternoon.
After a scoreless first inning, the Guardians put up runs in both the second and third innings. A single from Bo Naylor in the second drove Nolan Jones across home plate, while Carlos Santana's sacrifice fly in the third brought across Steven Kwan to give Cleveland a 2-0 lead.
The Royals did cut into the deficit in the fourth inning, Salvador Perez singling to score Jonathan India, but the Guardians extended their lead again the very next inning on a home run to right center field by Kwan. Perez though, in the sixth inning, cut into the deficit once again on an RBI single driving in Kyle Isbel.
Trailing by one run in the bottom of the seventh, Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia stepped to the plate facing Guardians reliever Cade Smith. Garcia fouled off the first pitch, and then took a ball, and on the third pitch smacked it hard to left field, watching it sail towards foul territory but catching and clanking off the foul pole to tie the game at 3-3.
Cavan Biggio followed the home run with a single, and was replaced by pinch runner Dairon Blanco who stole second base. After Isbel struck out swinging, and India popped out to the third base side, Bobby Witt Jr doubled into left field to score Blanco and give Kansas City the 4-3 lead.
Lucas Erceg would pitch a scoreless eighth inning before new Royals closer Carlos Estévez came on in the ninth to close out the game for his first save in the Royals powder blue.
Daniel Lynch IV earned the win in relief pitching two scoreless innings and putting zeroes across the board. Seth Lugo started the game and pitched fiving innings in the no decision giving up four hits and three runs, striking out four and walking three.
India (2-3, 1 BB), Perez (2-4, 2 RBI), and Garcia (2-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI) led the way hitting for the Royals in the win.
Kansas City and Cleveland will wrap up their series on Sunday at Kauffman Stadium. Michael Wacha is set to start for the Royals while Tanner Bibee, who was originally scheduled to start opening day before being scratched due to food poisoning, will start for the Guardians.
First pitch is set for 1:10 pm, pregame coverage will begin at 12:30 on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.