June 24, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, United States; Kansas City Royals outfielder Hunter Renfroe (16) rounds the bases during the sixth inning after hitting a home run against the Miami Marlins at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports Preparing for Game 2 of a four-game series against the visiting Cleveland Guardians, the Kansas City Royals are happy to be back home.
The Royals’ 2-7 trip to Los Angeles, Texas and Oakland had disastrous effects on their title hopes as they fell from second place in the American League Central and now find themselves eight games behind the Guardians in the Central.
“We sucked on the trip,” Vinnie Pasquantino said. “None of us are really happy with how it went. It wasn’t fun, but there was no panic. You just have to try not to go with the flow. You just have to stay calm.”
Cole Ragans said: “Every team is going through a tough time. We are going through ours. Just keep doing the little things right and we will win in the end. »
The Royals suffered three shutouts during the trip, finishing with 22 straight scoreless innings.
Pasquantino, Salvador Perez and Hunter Renfroe each hit a home run in their first game back at home as Kansas City won two of three against the Miami Marlins, then took the series opener against Cleveland with a 2-1 victory Thursday, their fifth straight home win over the Guardians.
“Coming home, sleeping in your own bed after a long trip, that’s a big part of what it means,” Renfroe said. “Getting back into the routine is a big thing, for sure. Just being back home is great.”
Kansas City is 28-15 at Kauffman Stadium, where Bobby Witt Jr. owns a 22-game hitting streak, hitting .409 with 16 extra-base hits and 17 RBIs. Witt’s .370 batting average at home is the best in baseball.
Royals right-hander Alec Marsh (5-5, 4.40 ERA) will take the mound Friday against Guardians right-hander Triston McKenzie (3-4, 4.66).
In two appearances against Cleveland, Marsh is 1-1 with a 9.00 ERA. He lost his only start, on July 26 of last year, while allowing four runs on five hits – including a José Ramírez homer – and four walks in 2 2/3 innings, matching the shortest start of his career.
Marsh has lost four of his last six starts. He allowed three runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings at Texas on June 23.
McKenzie will be making his 13th appearance against the Royals, which is tied for his most appearances against an opponent. He is 4-2 with a 3.19 ERA in 10 starts and two relief outings. Most recently, he allowed five runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings on June 4. Witt has four hits – three of them for extra bases – in 12 at-bats against McKenzie.
McKenzie hasn’t pitched beyond the sixth inning since May 17, and he has just one win in his last 11 starts. He allowed three runs on three hits and four walks in three innings against the Blue Jays on June 23.
The Guardians will be without right fielder Will Brennan, who was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday with an oblique strain.
“It’s the right thing to do to make sure we finish this season,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. “He wants to play until the end, but it will take three to five days off before resuming baseball activities.”
Brennan is hitting .382 with three home runs over his last 10 games.
Cleveland recalled Jose Tena from Triple-A Columbus, where he hit 14 homers and 56 RBIs in 73 games while batting .293.
–Field level media
