Why the KC Royals may feel they gave Tuesday’s game away to the New York Yankees
If there was a microcosm of the Kansas City Royals’ season so far, look no further than the sixth inning against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night.
The Royals were in the driver’s seat. Royals starter Michael Wacha was rolling along with a two-run lead. He navigated the Yankees’ lineup twice without allowing a run through five innings.
The sixth looked like a formality until Wacha ran into trouble. The Royals veteran issued two walks with two outs in the frame. The bases were loaded. Royals manager Matt Quatraro turned to his bullpen.
“You know, I felt like we got into a groove there,” Wacha said. “Got a little erratic there in the sixth. And, you know, never like walking guys. It’s just unfortunate.”
Enter left-handed reliever Angel Zerpa.
Zerpa was tasked with retiring left-handed hitter Austin Wells. It was a favorable matchup for the southpaw reliever, but a tough spot with the game in the balance.
“That’s a really good matchup against Wells,” Quatraro said. “Unfortunately, it didn’t work out.”
Zerpa walked Wells in four pitches. A run scored, and later, Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez hit a bases-clearing double.
“I was trying to throw (a sinker) for strikes,” Zerpa said via a translator. “Tough break there not getting called strikes.”
The Yankees flipped the score resulting in a 4-2 victory for New York. The Royals trailed late and never recovered as they dropped their second consecutive series.
“I was in the bullpen and paying attention to see what pitches he was swinging at,” Zerpa said of the Dominguez at-bat. “Fastballs up and in are his weakness. And I came in and he hit that one.”
KC, now 8-10 on the season, issued six walks in the late innings. The free passes were costly as the Royals didn’t score after the third inning.
Overall, the offense logged five hits and extended its streak of games scoring four or fewer runs. The Royals have exceeded four runs twice this season.
“We’ll break out of it,” Quatraro said. “There’s too many good players in that room right there, and it’s part of baseball. These guys are working their tails off and we are facing really good pitching. And that’s part of the game.”
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Here are more notable aspects of Tuesday’s game:
MJ Melendez hits first home run
The Royals needed to set an early tone on Tuesday night.
KC entered play scoring 3.12 runs per game and had registered just two hits in Monday’s series opener. A spark was needed. And it came from an unlikely source.
Royals outfielder MJ Melendez, who posted a .077 batting average through 17 games, snapped his cold spell with a solo home run off Yankees starter Max Fried.
“Obviously, a step in the right direction,” Melendez said. “It’s something that I have been trying to barrel some baseballs over the last few weeks. You know, I haven’t had the most success, but it’s definitely been a work in progress. And that was a good step today.”
Melendez drilled a four-seam fastball over the center-field wall. The blast traveled 429 feet and was his fourth hit of the season.
Later, Melendez posted another good at-bat. He hit a line drive that chased Yankees center fielder Cody Bellinger towards the outfield wall.
“I had some good work and good conversations with our hitting coaches,” Melendez said. “It kind of helped me feel a lot more comfortable and confident to play today. Definitely something that can help moving forward.”
Both swings could be a positive sign of things to come. Melendez worked diligently to simplify his approach at the plate. A home run off a tough lefty could be a silver lining he has needed this season.
Evan Sisk makes MLB debut
The Royals got a closer look at rookie reliever Evan Sisk on Tuesday. He made is MLB debut in the eighth inning and registered three strikeouts.
“It was great to get him in there and good for him,” Quatraro said. “There must’ve been a million nerves. He ends up striking out the side and it took a little work. I’m sure he will be calmer the next time. But that’s a big stage for him and that’s a lifetime to come to this point. He should be really proud of himself.”
Sisk was called up from Triple-A Omaha after left-hander Sam Long was placed on the 15-day injured list with left elbow inflammation.
What’s next: The Royals conclude their three-game series against the New York Yankees on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium. Left-hander Kris Bubic will make his fourth start this season, this one against returning Yankees starter Clark Schmidt.
This story was originally published April 15, 2025 at 8:43 PM.
