The Guards would have their 7 game win streak snapped after dropping the opener vs. the Royals Friday night 3-0.
The game started out as a pitchers’ duel and remained scoreless until the top of the 5th. Bibee got into a little bit of trouble but was able to work out of 2 runners on with 1 out in the 2nd and a bases loaded two out jam in the 3rd.
The Guardians would threaten a little in the bottom half of the third, getting two on with 1 out, but Wacha would get Steven Kwan to ground into a fielder’s
choice then strike out Chase DeLauter with runners on the corners to end the inning.
After a fairly pedestrian 4th, the Royals would strike 1st in the 5th, when Bobby Witt Jr. scorched a leadoff double to lead off the inning. He would go to 3rd on a sac fly and score on an RBI ground out by Salvador Perez.
That would be it for the scoring until the 9th inning. The Royals would only get one hit combined off Bibee, Tim Herrin, and Craig Yoho in the 6th, 7th, and 8th. The Guards would finally make Wacha work again when Petey Halpin would single with 1 out after having an 8 pitch AB. Unfortunately, Wacha would get the next 2 hitters out on a fairly deep fly ball off the bat of Brayan Rocchio and an incredibly questionable strike 3 call on Steven Kwan who elected not to challenge it.
Yoho would stay on to get through the 9th. Isaac Collins would lead off with a double just off the glove of Jo Adell in RF. After a sac bunt to get the runner to 3rd with 1 out, Yoho would get a big strikeout from Kyle Isbel for the second out, but ultimately could not get out of the inning unscathed, giving up a 2 run homer to Carter Jensen with 2 outs.
The Guards would make it interesting in the 9th. Chase DeLauter would lead off the inning with a single. Then with 1 out, Jo Adell blooped in a single. Nathaniel Lowe would strike out, and after the Guards would get a foul tip overturned to a HBP for Travis Bazzana, the bases would be loaded. The winning run would come up to the plate in the form of the PH Angel Genao. Unfortunately, he would ground out weakly to the pitcher to end the game.
The Guards will look to even the series tomorrow afternoon. First pitch is at 4:10pm, and it’ll be Foster Griffin for the Guards matching up against Daniel Lynch IV for KC.
