By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
The Kansas City Royals earned another big division win on Friday night, defeating the Cleveland Guardians 10-3 at Kauffman Stadium.
After Jose Ramirez gave the Guardians a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, hitting a solo home run to right field, the Royals would go on to score seven unanswered runs over the next five innings.
The scoring got started in the bottom of the second inning as the Royals hit back to back home runs, Salvador Perez hitting the first to left center, Hunter Renfroe the second to right field, pushing the Royals ahead 2-1.
After Kyle Isbel struck out to start the third inning, the Royals would score three more runs before another out was recorded, runs being driven in by Vinnie Pasquantino, Perez, and MJ Melendez.
Isbel would homer in the fourth inning to add one more, a Freddy Fermin sacrifice fly in the fifth inning would push the Royals lead to 7-1. The Guardians finally responded scoring runs in the seventh and eighth inning.
Kansas City would extend the lead more in the bottom half of the eighth with another three run inning. Maikel Garcia would score on a wild pitch before Pasquantino would hit the fourth home run of the game for the Royals, a two run blast to right field.
The win helped Kansas City get within seven games of the AL Central lead, sitting behind the Guardians and Minnesota Twins. The Royals are back in the playoff picture however, holding the third wildcard spot currently.
Game three of the series will see Cole Ragans scheduled to start for the Royals against Tanner Bibee for the Guardians. First pitch is at 3:10pm with a 2:30 pregame on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).