Royals offense rolls in 10-8 win over Astros

The Royals put up ten runs on the Astros, in part thanks to the first MLB home run by rookie Logan Porter, as Kansas City took the series with a 10-8 win on Saturday night.

The Royals scored right from the start when Maikel Garcia walked in the first, followed by a single by Bobby Witt Jr. and a two-run double by Salvador Perez. Nelson Velázquez drove Salvy home on a sac fly to make it 3-0 after the opening frame. MJ Melendez added an RBI single in the third to make it 4-0.

Meanwhile Cole Ragans pitched a perfect first, second, and fourth inning, and worked around some trouble in the third. Yanier Diaz led off the fifth with a home run off the lefty to put the Astros on the board. Mauricio Dubón tripled and scored on an Alex Bregman single. Yordan Alvarez singled Bregman home to make it a one-run game. Salvador Perez exited the game that inning after taking a foul ball to the mask with what was called a “non-concussive head impact.”

Astros rookie starter J.P. France struggled with his control, walking two in the fifth to go with a Witt single to load the bases. Reliever Rafael Montero walked Velázquez to force in a run to make it 5-3 Royals. A Witt sac fly in the sixth made it 6-3.

Ragans gave up a single and a walk to start the seventh, causing Matt Quatraro to pull him after 100 pitches. Collin Snider came in and promptly gave up a three-run home run to Jose Altuve to tie the game.

But in the bottom of the inning, the Royals took the lead on a bunt safety squeeze by Kyle Isbel.

Dairon Blanco then hit a tailor made double play ground ball than Bregman threw into right field to score another run. A Nick Pratto sac fly made it 9-6 after seven. Logan Porter, who had entered the game to replace Salvy, hit his first big league home run in the eighth innings.

It was a 400 foot blast in just his second MLB game. Carlos Hernandez made things interesting in the ninth, giving up a two runs, and exiting the game with two outs and the tying run on base. But Taylor Clarke game in to retire Diaz for the final out, picking up his second save in as many nights.

The Royals got two-hit performances from Bobby Witt Jr. and Michael Massey, and Maikel Garcia and Nelson Velázquez each drew two walks. Ragans gave up five runs in six innings, the most he has allowed in a Royals uniform. But he also struck out seven while walking just two and he got 18 whiffs on the night. James McArthur also had an impressive outing, retiring all four hitters he faced, two by strikeout.

The Royals improve to 48-101 and can sweep the Astros tomorrow afternoon with Jordan Lyles facing Framber Valdez at 1:10 CT.