Royals’ Moustakas clubs record-tying blast in 7-6 victory over the Twins

For 32 years, the number lived. It survived through boiling summers in Kansas City and losing seasons inside Kauffman Stadium and two championship parades through downtown. It outlasted the rock-hard astroturf and the old jumbotron in left field and helmets with no flaps on them. They moved the fences in for a time. They remodeled the stadium. For a few years, an unknown percentage of players throughout baseball were juiced on steroids, and still, it remained.

The number was 36, of course, and for more than three decades, no Royals hitter could touch it. In the summer of 1985, Steve Balboni, a mustachioed, bald-headed slugger from New England, clubbed 36 home runs, the most in the history of the Royals. And after a while, the dubious record took root, becoming as much a part of Kansas City baseball as fountains or George Brett or the color blue.

And then came Friday night here at Target Field. Mike Moustakas stood at the plate in the top of the third inning. Minnesota’s Dillon Gee hurled a 2-2 fastball. One swing tied the number, partially exorcising 32 years of demons.

“I think there was relief for everybody,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.

In a 7-6 victory over the Twins, Moustakas roped a 368-foot homer off a railing in deep right field, just above the right-field wall, notching his 36th home run and equaling Balboni’s mark. As the record-tying blast became official, the baseball ricocheted back onto the grass playing surface. Moustakas touched first base and broke into a brisk trot.

“And there it is!” screamed Royals broadcaster Ryan Lefebvre, sitting in a second-floor booth at Target Field.

For a moment, Moustakas felt relief, too. He has attempted to compartmentalize the home run chase, to focus on winning and on his approach and block out the rest. But on Friday, he had not hit a homer since Aug. 15, a 12-game stretch. Maybe he felt close, he said.

“I’ve been telling you guys the whole time, I’m not really thinking about it too much,” Moustakas said. “You know, maybe once it got to 35, it started creeping in my head a little bit. That’s when I started trying to do a little bit too much. Tonight I was kind of relaxed.”

The homer, a three-run shot in the 133rd game of the season, provided a 5-2 lead during a five-run third inning. Designated hitter Brandon Moss would add his 18th homer of the year in the sixth as the Royals (66-67) claimed the first game of a critical three-game series.

They would need all the offense, escaping a bizarre bottom of the ninth when Royals reliever Kelvin Herrera allowed two runs and again exited with tightness in his low forearm and two runners on base. Reliever Scott Alexander once again entered mid-batter, issuing one walk (credited to Herrera) before striking out Minnesota’s Eddie Rosario with the bases loaded to preserve the victory.

“We needed to win this game,” Yost said.

Kansas City pulled within 3 1/2 games of the Twins in the chaotic race for the final American League wild-card spot. They will likely need to win at least one more this weekend to remain within striking distance in the early days of September.

On Friday afternoon, Yost offered a simple approach for the divisional series: “Just win,” he said. His team answered the call as Moustakas collected a piece of history. The next mission is 37 — and more wins.

“Everybody’s been pulling hard for him,” Yost said. “And now we get to pull hard for him to break it.

In some ways, this record-tying homer was anticipated, even expected. Moustakas had 25 home runs at the All-Star break and earned an invitation to the Home Run Derby in Miami. All across baseball, homers are flying out of ballparks at a record pace.

But there is a reason why Balboni’s mark stood for more than three decades. Since 1985, 348 players had hit at least 36 homers, including three others this year. But none accomplished the feat while wearing a Royals uniform. Some came close, of course. There was Danny Tartabull in 1987 (34); Gary Gaetti in 1995 (35 in just 137 games); and Dean Palmer in 1998 (34).

But Moustakas, a former No. 2 overall pick in 2007, became the first Royals hitter to catch Balboni. The moment did not register, he said, until his teammates ambushed him with hugs after the game.

“That's kind of when it sunk in a little bit,” he said. “But again, we got another game tomorrow. So you can’t dwell on it too much.

In the moment, the offense was needed. Royals starter Jason Hammel would surrender four earned runs in 6 1/3 innings, including two during the bottom of the first. Yet the offense fought back in the third. Lorenzo Cain ripped an RBI single into center field. Melky Cabrera roped an RBI double on his way to a four-hit game. And moments later, Moustakas stepped to the plate with Cabrera at second and Hosmer at first.

Moustakas fell behind 0-2 on the first two pitches — two fastballs from Gee. But he would battle back, pitch by pitch, fouling off one fastball before Gee, a former Royals pitcher, missed with two off-speed pitches.

On the sixth pitch of the at-bat, Gee threw another fastball in the zone. And this time Moustakas did not miss. With one swing, Balboni had company at 36.

“Awesome achievement, for sure,” Moustakas said.

And then he started talking about Saturday.

Royals 7, Twins 6

This story was originally published September 1, 2017 at 10:46 PM with the headline "Royals’ Moustakas clubs record-tying blast in 7-6 victory over the Twins."