The Kansas City Royals are displaying signs they have moved on from their early-season struggles as they begin a three-game series against the Athletics tonight at West Sacramento, Calif.
Kansas City scored 29 runs during a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels and has won four of its past five contests.
The Royals are still six games below .500 as they enter a stretch of six road games against the Athletics and Seattle Mariners, but encouragement is rising after Sunday’s 11-9, 10-inning victory against the Angels.
The start of the game was moved up three hours, there was an 89-minute rain delay during the seventh inning and Kansas City was down to its final out in both the ninth and 10th innings.
Jac Caglianone hit a tying two-run homer in a three-run ninth, and the Royals prevailed on Lane Thomas’ three-run, walk-off homer in the 10th.
“That’s why no one should ever give up on us,” said Royals star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who also hit his first homer of the season. “The guys we have in here. Because of how relentless we are and how we know who we are, we know what type of team we are, and we’re just going to keep proving it.”
Kansas City is hoping Salvador Perez is about to go on a sustained hot streak. The nine-time All-Star has two three-hit outings in his last six appearances to raise his average to .187, and he belted his fourth homer of the season in Saturday’s 12-1 rout of the Angels.
While pleased with Sunday’s comeback win, veteran right-hander Seth Lugo said more improvement is needed.
“We got a long way to go,” Lugo said. “We’re not quite where we want to be this year. But (Sunday) showed the resilience that we’ve shown for the last few years. … We’re never done until the last out’s made.”
The Athletics are in first place in the American League West after taking two of three from the host Texas Rangers. The A’s also took two of three on the road from the Mariners during the trip.
The Athletics needed 5 2/3 scoreless innings from the bullpen in Sunday’s 2-1 victory as starter J.T. Ginn left with shoulder issues after 3 1/3 innings.
The bullpen gave up just three hits and struck out eight. Justin Sterner entered with the bases loaded and none out in the sixth inning and protected the one-run lead, while Jack Perkins worked two innings to record the save.
“Our bullpen’s been doing a good job,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. “There’s a real confidence down there, when the phone rings, that it can be any one of them to come in and pitch.”
The Athletics are starting right-hander Aaron Civale (2-1, 3.86 ERA) in the series opener.
Left-hander Jacob Lopez threw 25 pitches in relief Sunday and won’t start during the Kansas City series. Monday’s off day allowed the A’s to move Civale up.
Civale, 30, received a no-decision against the Mariners last Wednesday when he gave up three runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings.
He is 4-3 with a 3.73 ERA in 12 career starts against the Royals. Perez is 7-for-21 with three homers against Civale.
The Royals are countering with left-hander Kris Bubic (2-1, 4.08).
Bubic, 28, took a no-decision April 21 against the Baltimore Orioles. He gave up three runs and five hits in six innings.
In his lone career start against the Athletics in 2021, Bubic allowed five earned runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings while taking the loss. He served up three homers in the game played in Oakland.
Austin Wynns (1-for-6) and Brent Rooker (0-for-5) are the only Athletics who have faced Bubic.
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