3 ties, 4 lead changes, 24 hits, 13 pitchers, and a partridge in a pear tree. This game had it all, except for a Royals win that is. Texas pulled out a 6-4 extra inning affair on a wild night of baseball.
The first three innings only had three major events before the game really shifted. In the 2nd inning Jac Caglianone doubled to left field and then came home on a bloop single from Isaac Collins. There was also a fun double steal of Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnnie Pasquantino that got Witt a tie for the major league
lead in stolen bases. Finally, there was an injury to Joc Pederson on ball 4. I do not know how to explain tweaking something on ball four, but he managed it and Jake Buger took over DHing duties later in the game. Then in the 4th inning the Royals plan for the day shifted rather drastically when Seth Lugo took a Brandon Nimmo 106.6 mph line drive off of his head. See video below. It was very scary in real time.
Seth was obviously pulled and the bullpen was called on with one out in the third. Mason Black was first up. I think we should all give him some grace for having to warm up and jump in with no warning like that. He struggled for the first few batters. Wyatt Langford was first up and singled off of Bobby Witt’s glove while he leaped to try and snag it. That moved Nimmo to second as well. Then Eziquiel Duran was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Evan Carter was also walked to score the first run for Texas on the night. It was looking like Black might blow up and the Royals would be in a lot of trouble. Then he found the zone managed to strike out Kyle Higashioka to get the second out and keep them loaded. Next up was Royal killer Nicky Lopez, who has been raking against his former club. His streak continued with a single to right scoring Langford from third to take the lead, but it also ended the inning because Duran followed him and was gunned down by Jac. Texas challenged saying Salvador Perez did not get the tag on him. It was upheld and you can watch below to see why.
The Rangers exited the top of the 4th with a 2-1 lead. It could have been worse and there was still a lot of game left and what a game it was.
Kansas City took a couple of innings to tie things back up. After two strikeouts to start the 5th, Vinnie walked to start something up. Then Starling Marte advanced him with a single through the right side. That is when Jac Caglianone decided he was not done causing problems for Texas after last night’s theatrics. He willed a seeing-eye single just past the diving Nicky Lopez at second base. It was not traveling very fast so Pasquantino made it home easily to tie the game. After ending the 5th having given up 2 runs, that would be the end of Mackenzie Gore’s night was over after throwing 87 pitches. He was replaced by Peyton Gray who the Royals got to in the 6th. Collins led of the 6th with a double to the left field corner and was brought home on a Lane Thomas single. Collins got a bad read off the bat. It looked like the throw might have got him but the Rangers cut it off and KC took a 3-2 lead.
Texas responded to that immediately when Jake Burger took his second plate appearance to lead off the 7th after replacing the injured Pederson. By this time Black had given way to Stephen Cruz who escaped a messy 6th and Matt Strahm was on for the seventh. His first offering to Burger was a very high slider that was lifted over the left field wall to tie the game at 3 runs apiece. In the bottom of the 7th the Royals started off with two groundouts to set up another 2-out rally. Caglianone grabbed his 3rd hit of the night with a single. Then Nick Loftin brought him home on what was ruled a triple and sure looked like an error to me. Either was the one run lead was back, Royals 4 and Rangers 3.
Lucas Erceg was given the 8th. He has been struggling and it was nice to see him strike out Duran to start the inning. Unfortunately, that was the only good part of his outing. After walk, walk, HBP loaded the bases, Erceg was pulled and Daniel Lynch IV came on to try and put out the fire. Jake Burger was next up and Lynch got him to fly out to center. It was deep enough to score Evan Carter and tie the game 4-4. The Royals had now surrendered three separate leads on the night. Lynch then walked Corey Seage to re-load the bases before getting Josh Jung to lineout to right and end the threat.
Old friend Jakob Junis took over in the 8th for the Rangers and he plunked Lane Thoms to begin the inning and was pinch run for by Tyler Tolbert. Tolbert stole second but came off the bag with his hand before the leg got to the base and he was called out on replay. Witt and Garcia went down too and we headed to the 9th still tied.
Matt Quatraro went John Shreiber out for the 9th, the sixth bullpen arm of the night. He took care of business one two three. Junis returned for 9th in the bottom half and followed suit. It was the calmest inning of the night with no baserunners to be seen. It would be decided in extras with the Royals needing to end it sooner rather than later. They came into the game with a rested bullpen but the early exit from Lugo meant they were down to Alex Lange and Beck Way.
Lange would take the 10th and start the inning with a fly ball to center. Then the third former Royal of the night would sting them. Elias Diaz who played for Kansas City just 21 days ago hit the ball hard to the right and Cags misplayed it into a double allowing the Rangers to take the lead for the second time on the night. This was followed by a walk to Nicky Lopez and a Jake Burger infield single. Alex was in some trouble with the bases loaded. He struck out Seager with a beautiful sinker to get the second out and bring up Josh Jung. Lange got ahead 0-2 before throwing four consecutive balls and walking in an insurance run, Royals down 6-4. Nimmo hit a scary liner to center that was tracked down by Tolbert and get him out of the jam.
Last chance for the Royals would come against Jacob Latz, the 13th pitcher of the night. Jac took the first pitch up the middle for his fourth hit of the game, another single. Starling Marte was the zombie runner and had to hold on the hit, so he only made it to third. Kameron Misner came in to pinch run for Caglianone and make his Royals debut after being called up this afternoon. Nick Loftin decided that the bases should be loaded in the bottom of the 10th too by taking a walk and bringing Collins up. Ball three was challenged by Diaz though it was a ball, so Texas lost its extra inning challenge too. Isaac battled but was struck out watching a 98 mph fastball at the knees. This is back to the top of the lineup though that meant Tolbert who took over for Lane Thomas after he had been hit by a pitch in the arm earlier. Tolbert hit it straight to third. Step on third throw to first, double play ends the game.
It was a tough loss. It was also a thrilling game. Back at it in about 15 hours to see who will win this series.
