It was a nice calm win today for the Royals. They took the lead early, built on it, and closed it out 4-0 in a workman-like game type we have not had nearly enough of this season.
The Royals got the scoring started in the third when Tyler Tolbert hit a home run to left center.
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I have never seen Tolbert drive a ball like that. It was a nice swing from a player who is known more for speed than power. The second run might actually be more fun though. The leadoff hitter in the 4th inning again sparked the team. This time it was Salvador Perez who hit his first triple since June 8th of 2022.
Of course, Salvy was a third with no outs in the 2nd inning and no one could get him home. This time, Nick Loftin hit a ball deep enough to center to get the sac fly and the 2-0 lead.
Kansas City continued to build a lead in the 5th starting the inning off with a single from Josh Rojas. He was out on a fielder’s choice from Tolbert’s bunt, but then Tolbert scored on an RBI double from Carter Jensen who hit the ball down the left field line and stuck it in the corner. Lane Thomas hit into the second fielder’s choice of the inning, but managed to move Carter to third with Jac Caglianone coming to the plate. Jac singled to end an 0-22 stretch and drive in the run giving the Royals a 4-0 lead. It was not a clean hit as the first baseman, Royce Lewis, got a glove on it, but it was hit hard and not an easy play as it kicked into foul territory.
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Meanwhile, Randy Dobnak was teaching his old team a lesson. The sinkerballer kept Minnesota off balance all night getting through 7 innings with just 4 hits and 1 walk, none of which turned into runs. It was not that all the contact was bad, Dobnak gave up 10 hard-hit balls, but most of them were on the ground or just unable to get under it even when squared up. It was a very good night for a guy purchased from another organization just six weeks ago. It was a career high seven innings and it put the team in a good position to get the win.
Daniel Lynch took the torch from Randy and made easy work of the 8th and making the Royals win probability climb to 98.5%. The offense had an opportunity to add to the lead in the ninth before Carter Jensen fouled a ball off of Lane Thomas in the batters box, Tolbert got picked off of second after a nice leadoff double, and then Jensen fouled one off of himself. It ended up staying 4-0 and the game was turned over to Steven Cruz to hold onto the win.
Cruz got Josh Bell to pop it straight up behind the plate where Carter Jensen could catch. Then a hard-hit Royce Lewis liner to short. Finally, he got a comebacker to the mound for a one, two, three ninth and a Royal victory.
Tomorrow will decide who wins the series. The Royals have not lost a series since the All-Star break.
