The Kansas City Royals took Game 1 of their series against the Minnesota Twins on Thursday, winning 8-6. It was an eventful, rain-delayed contest that featured plenty of back-and-forth action.
For one Royals player, Thursday’s win was just one part of a hectic 24-hour stretch.
Kansas City infielder Josh Rojas made his Royals debut in a fashion he will likely talk about for years to come.
Josh Rojas collected two hits for two different teams on the same day
Ahead of Thursday’s game, the Royals selected Josh Rojas from Triple-A Omaha as part of a series of roster moves.
Before those roster moves were announced, Rojas was already in the lineup for the Storm Chasers on Thursday afternoon against Columbus.
The 31-year-old went 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored before receiving the call. Rojas left Omaha’s game in the fifth inning to catch a flight to Minnesota for the series opener.
Just when things were already hectic enough, Rojas ended up missing his first flight to Minneapolis.
He eventually caught a second flight, and thanks to the rain delay, he was still able to arrive at Target Field around the eighth inning, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com.
Shortly after arriving, Rojas was called upon to pinch-hit in the top of the ninth inning with the bases loaded and the game tied at 6-6.
Despite already playing a game earlier in the day, getting called up to make his team debut, missing a flight and then being thrown into a high-stakes situation, none of it fazed Rojas. He capitalized on the opportunity.
With a 3-1 count and one out, the left-handed hitter sent a ground ball up the middle for a two-run single. The hit gave Kansas City an 8-6 lead in the ninth inning.
During the postgame interview, Rojas did not seem to mind the chaotic circumstances that led to his pinch-hit appearance.
“It was kind of nice, not too much time to process, too much information. Show up, get loose in the cage and get ready for an at-bat,” Rojas said.
Not only did Rojas record two hits for two different teams in the same day, he also collected those hits in two different states.
Few players have experienced a team debut quite like the one Rojas had on Thursday.
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