Cole Ragans tied a Royals pitching record before his Saturday start fell apart
Cole Ragans couldn’t have asked for a better start — beginning, that is — against the Houston Astros on Saturday night.
The Kansas City Royals starter struck out eight of the first nine batters he faced. The 2024 All-Star was efficient and made quick work of the dynamic Astros lineup.
However, things quickly took a downturn.
The Astros scored five runs in the sixth inning to ruin Ragans’ night. Houston held on to win 5-2 and clinched a series victory at Minute Maid Park.
“Good for five (innings) and terrible for one,” Ragans said.
The Royals fell to 75-62 and have lost four consecutive games. KC also struggled offensively for the second night in a row.
Astros starter Yusei Kikuchi limited the Royals to four hits. He matched Ragans by striking out 12 batters. Royals third baseman Paul DeJong, who kept the Royals in Friday’s game, struck out three times.
“I don’t think it’s just deceptiveness, he has got good stuff,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “He is throwing mid-to-upper 90s and has good movement on his fastball and slider. We knew that he was going to be tough. He has been on a good run and these guys have all been throwing the ball really well.”
The Royals scored their first run in the sixth. Nick Loftin hit into a fielder’s choice as designated hitter Freddy Fermin scored from third.
Later, Bobby Witt Jr. hit a solo home run into the Crawford Boxes in left field. It was his 29th home run of the season.
“We just kind of got outside the (strike) zone a little bit and missed some pitches,” Witt said of the offensive struggles.
Kikuchi earned his third win since joining the Astros. He has allowed three earned runs or fewer in six starts with the club.
Houston improved to 74-62. KC remains 2.5 games behind the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Central. The Guardians lost 3-0 to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.
“We’ve gotten beat the last few days and that’s not a reflection of their effort in any way,” Quatraro said. “The Astros are a good team and they are throwing the ball extremely well. They are tough to beat here.”
Missed previous games of the series?
Game 1: Royals dealt significant blow as Vinnie Pasquantino, Lucas Erceg leave with injuries
Game 2: Jose Altuve hits walk-off double as Royals lose third straight game
Here are more notables from Saturday’s game:
Cole Ragans ties Royals single-game record
Ragans was sharp early against the Astros.
In the third inning, he reached eight consecutive strikeouts to tie the Royals record. Ragans matched former Royals starter Blake Stein, who reached the feat against the Milwaukee Brewers in 2001.
“The (velocity) was up,” Quatraro said. “Breaking balls — both slider and curveball — and the changeup were all working well. I mean, eight strikeouts in a row was phenomenal, especially against that team that puts the ball in play.”
Ragans recorded double-digit strikeouts for the third time this season. The last time he recorded 10 or more strikeouts was on June 24 against the Miami Marlins.
“The record is cool, but all I want to do is win,” Ragans said. “... Obviously, I didn’t get that done tonight. You know, I feel like I let the guys down.”
Despite allowing five runs, Ragans was solid for the majority of the night. He relied on his four-seam fastball that topped out at 97.6 mph and registered 23 swings.
His final line: five innings, five earned runs, four hits, 10 strikeouts.
Reinforcements coming for Kansas City Royals roster
Several new additions are expected to join the Kansas City Royals roster Sunday.
Earlier on Saturday, the Royals claimed outfielders Tommy Pham (Cardinals) and Robbie Grossman (Rangers) on waivers. Both are expected to report on Sunday.
Also expected to report: a new addition in veteran first baseman Yuli Gurriel, who the Royals traded for on Saturday. The Royals were able to trade for Gurriel, an eight-year MLB veteran, due to him remaining in the minor leagues this season.
“We acquired them because we wanted them here, and we hope they can help us,” Quatraro said.
Garrett Hampson robs home run
In the eighth inning, Royals outfielder Garrett Hampson prevented at least one additional run from scoring. The Royals were down late when Houston superstar Yordan Alvarez stepped to the plate.
Alvarez drilled a 79.8-mph curveball from reliever Chris Stratton over the right-field wall ... or so he thought.
Hampson raced back and made a terrific leaping catch to rob Alvarez of his 29th home run.
“He made two tremendous catches,” Quatraro said. “One running to the line and one against the wall. ... I thought the defense was good.”
Next on the Royals’ schedule:
The Royals conclude their four-game series against the Astros on Sunday. KC will start right-hander Alec Marsh in the afternoon matchup.
Marsh allowed four runs (two earned) against the Guardians in Game 2 of last Monday’s doubleheader at Progressive Field. He is 3-4 with a 4.89 ERA in 10 road starts.
The Astros will start right-hander Ronel Blanco on Sunday. Blanco is 9-6 with a 3.14 ERA this season.
This story was originally published August 31, 2024 at 8:48 PM.
