By MATT PIKE
Top prospect Carter Jensen hit his first home run of the season, for a second straight game the Kansas City Royals starting pitcher shutdown the Atlanta Braves, and the Royals avoided a sweep on Sunday defeating the Braves 4-1 at Truist Park.
One game after Michael Wacha held the Braves to just three hits over six innings, Seth Lugo made his season debut and threw 6.1 shutout innings against the Atlanta offense, giving up five hits and striking out five batters, being replaced by Matt Strahm with one out in the seventh after giving up a leadoff double to Mike Yastzremski.
After both teams were scoreless through the first two innings, Jac Caglianone led the third inning off with a walk. Nick Loftin initially grounded into what was called a double play, but a challenge from manager Matt Quatraro showed Loftin was safe at first. A second out would come though as Kyle Isbel struck out, but a Maikel Garcia moved Loftin to third base before Bobby Witt Jr drove in the first run of the game, putting the Royals up 1-0, with an RBI single.
That started a run of three straight innings with a score. In the fourth inning after Salvador Perez popped out to open the inning, with a full count, Jensen hit the ball 371 feet to right center field for his first home run of the year. In the fifth, Loftin led off the inning with a double, and with two outs scored on a single from Vinnie Pasquantino, pushing the Royals lead to 3-0 at the end of seven innings.
In relief of Lugo, Strahm pitched 0.2 innings and gave up no hits, before being relieved by John Schreiber in the eighth inning. Kansas City went into the bottom of the eighth up 4-0 after Jensen pushed the Royals ahead even more with a sacrifice fly, driving in Witt Jr, after the shortstop led off the inning with a walk and advanced to third on a single from Pasquantino. Schreiber gave up just one hit in the bottom half of the eighth, turning the game into a save situation as Drake Baldwin hit his second home run of the series to right field.
Lucas Erceg came on for the save, with Carlos Estévez in a walking boot after getting hit in the ankle during last nights game. Erceg struck out Austin Riley, who opened the six run rally in the walk off with with a walk, but gave up a single to Yastzremski. Ozzie Albies though grounded into a double play ending the inning, and notching the first win of the season for the Royals, and the first save of the season for Erceg.
Lugo improved to 1-0 on the season with his excellent pitching performance. At the plate, Pasquantino led the way going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Witt Jr was 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI while Jensen was also 1-for-3 with the home run and two RBI's, striking out twice.
Kansas City now returns to Kauffman Stadium for their first home games of the season on Monday, taking on the Minnesota Twins. Kris Bubic is set to pitch the home opener for the Royals against Simeon Woods Richardson for the Twins. First pitch is at 3:10pm, pregame will air at 2:30 on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.