Kansas City Royals got a special, dominant start from Daniel Lynch & needed every out
Kansas City Royals starter Daniel Lynch showcased his full potential against the Detroit Tigers. The former 2018 first-round pick was dominant in the Royals’ 1-0 victory at Comerica Park.
Lynch allowed one hit across seven innings of work. His lone mistake was a one-out single that Tigers outfielder Andy Ibáñez hit into center field.
However, Lynch remained unbothered. He was efficient with his four-seam fastball and changeup. He also mixed in a slider and a knuckle-curve.
The pitches kept the Tigers off balance. Lynch worked all corners of the strike zone and generated 39 swings and 11 whiffs. He also issued two walks while striking out two batters.
“He attacked from the very first pitch,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “You could tell he was going after them and he was going to make them swing. He was going to throw all his pitches in the zone.”
Lynch gave an honest assessment of his start. He found a groove with Royals catcher Salvador Perez and thanked his defense for superb play.
In his last two starts, Lynch has pitched into the seventh inning. He picked up his first win Tuesday after beginning the season on the 15-day injured list with a rotator-cuff strain.
“When something is working, you just got to stick with it,” Lynch said. “We didn’t try to do too much, and that’s how you kind of get on a roll.”
The Royals added six hits on the night. Maikel Garcia went 3 for 4 with three singles. Recent call-up Matt Beaty provided the key hit with an RBI double in the sixth inning.
The Tigers attempted a late rally. Detroit loaded the bases in the eighth inning against Royals reliever Aroldis Chapman. But the Royals escaped the threat as Chapman worked around three walks.
“Anytime you throw a shutout, you need good defense behind you,” Quatraro said. “We had that today.”
With the win, KC improved to 20-53 on the season and has a chance to win the series with a victory on Wednesday afternoon.
Missed the start of the series?
Game 1: Royals squander early lead in 6-4 loss to Tigers
Here are more notables from today’s game:
Aroldis Chapman escapes eighth-inning trouble
It was an eventful outing for Royals reliever Aroldis Chapman. After Daniel Lynch pitched seven scoreless innings, Chapman was tasked with preserving a 1-0 lead.
Chapman, who holds the mark for fastest pitch thrown in Royals history, didn’t have his best command as he walked three batters in the eighth inning. He also threw a wild pitch and loaded the bases with two outs.
The Tigers had a prime opportunity to tie the game. Spencer Torkelson stepped to the plate to face Chapman. However, Chapman was able to induce a fielder’s choice to end the threat.
Torkelson grounded out to Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who flipped the baseball to Nicky Lopez to record the third out. Chapman avoided disaster and bridged the path for Scott Barlow to close it out.
“I know he was frustrated with how he threw the ball,” Quatraro said of Chapman. “But at the end of the day, he put up a zero.”
Maikel Garcia heats up against Tigers
Maikel Garcia continues to rake at Comerica Park. On Monday, Garcia hit his second career home run off Tigers starter Reese Olson. The blast traveled 411 feet and gave the Royals an early lead.
(His first home run was a special moment, too.)
Garcia turned in a follow-up effort Tuesday. He went 3-for-4 with three singles. In the sixth inning, Garcia scored the first run of the game. Royals designated hitter Matt Beaty doubled as Garcia raced home.
“He is very competitive,” Quatraro said of Garcia. “When he gets in the box, he is going to fight you.”
After the game, Garcia said he is feeling good at the plate. He mentioned that his pregame work has aided him during his recent hot streak.
“Watching videos from last year and putting a lot of that into game prep,” Garcia said through a translator.
In his last 12 games, Garcia owns a .348 batting average and has two three-hit games during the span.
What’s next: The Royals conclude their three-game series against the Tigers. Brady Singer will start Wednesday’s finale against Matthew Boyd.
This story was originally published June 20, 2023 at 7:59 PM.
