Royals Win Their First Game By Scoring Lots of Points

The Royals won their first game of the year by scoring runs - lot of runs! The Royals scored three in the first off rookie White Sox pitcher Erik Johnson, and three more in the fifth to hold on for the 7-5 win over the White Sox. Alex Gordon got the scoring off to an early start with a bases loaded double to score three runs and give the good guys a 3-1 lead inthe first inning. The Royals tacked on another run in the second to take a 4-1 lead before exploding for another three-run inning in the fifth off a wild rookie starter in Erik Johnson with a pair of walks, a single, a wild pitch to score a run, and a run-scoring single by Lorenzo Cain. In fact, it seemed the Royals scored most of their runs off White Sox misplays or poor pitches than by beating a superior team. Face it, the White Sox are going to be terrible. Jose Abreau, the Cuban rookie slugger, struggled against the soft-tossing Jeremy Guthrie. Guthrie lasted for six innings, giving up just four runs and four walks and three strikeouts, but pitching well enough to earn the title "innings-eater"

It was actually the bullpen, which featured, Francisley Bueno, Kelvin Herrera, Aaron Crow, Wade Davis, and finally Greg Holland which held on to get his first save of the year. Nori Aoki would finish would three hits, slapping balls past White Sox defenders like we all thought we would. Omar Infante had three hits, and Billy Butler drew three on-base appearances, but no doubt disappointed the Opening Day crowd that came to see base hits and magnetic schedules. Mike Moustakas disappointed in that department, going 0-4, including outs in key situations while roommate Eric Hosmer came through with two hits, including his second double and a couple of nifty plays at first.

The Royals won their first game, almost according to plan. Is this the formula to winning games?