Two unsung Royals helped Bobby Witt Jr. in comeback win over the Guardians
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- Royals rallied for a 5-3 comeback win over the Cleveland Guardians Tuesday night.
- Collins, Massey and Witt accounted for seven of Kansas City’s eight hits.
- Stephen Kolek delivered quality start in 2026 debut, allowing three runs in six innings.
The Royals found themselves in familiar territory Tuesday night against the Cleveland Guardians.
They took an early lead — like, first-inning early — before the Guardians claimed the lead themselves.
But the boys in blue continued their run of productive at-bats and flashed some power from unexpected places in a 5-3 win over the Guardians.
The Royals have won five straight overall, and they’ve overcome a deficit in six of their last seven wins, dating back to April 26.
And there’s more good news: The Royals are amid a 10-game stretch against AL Central opponents, giving them the chance to creep up the standings.
After Tuesday’s action, they remain in fourth (17-19), but only a half-game back of the division-leading Guardians and Detroit Tigers, both 18-19. The White Sox entered the day 17-18.
Royals’ offense started hot
The Royals got the bats going in their first four plate appearances. Bobby Witt Jr. was the spark once again for the club.
After leadoff hitter Maikel Garcia began the game with a walk, Witt hit a double to right field on the first pitch, putting both runners in scoring position. Vinnie Pasquantino popped up the next pitch.
With one out, Salvador Perez took a four-seam fastball to right center and cleared the bases with a single, giving the Royals an early 2-0 lead.
The lead only lasted three innings before Cleveland’s bats responded.
Cleveland took the lead in the fourth inning, thanks to a three-run shot from home run juggernaut Rhys Hoskins that bounced off the left field pole at 343 feet. Hoskins’ third homer of the year would’ve been a home run in half of the major league ballparks, according to Baseball Savant.
But the Royals snatched the lead back in the bottom of the fourth with some home run magic of their own.
KC takes the lead back
Left fielder Isaac Collins got his second hit of the night, using his speed to reach second for a double. The next at-bat, second baseman Michael Massey smashed a Gavin Williams curveball 392 feet into the right field stands to take a 4-3 lead. It was Massey’s second homer of the season.
In the sixth inning, Collins crushed an 86 mph sweeper 382 feet to right field for his third home run of the season, and tacked on some insurance with a 5-3 lead. It brought Collins to within a triple of the cycle.
The Royals ended the night with eight hits; Massey and Witt each recorded two hits while Collins led the way with three.
Right-hander Stephen Kolek provided Kansas City’s 19th quality start of the season in his 2026 debut. Through six innings, he held Cleveland to four hits, three runs and a home run while collecting three strikeouts.
Right-handed reliever Nick Mears handled the seventh in three at-bats with no problem, getting a strikeout on the way. Lefty Daniel Lynch IV stepped on the mound in the eighth, allowing only a walk (thanks to an overturned ABS challenge by pinch hitter David Fry) but handled the side quickly after.
The lights went dark before closer Lucas Erceg was handed the ball, and he got his 10th save of the season, good for top-3 in MLB.
Up next: Game 3 against the Guardians is set for 6:40 p.m. Wednesday with Royals ace Cole Ragans (1-4, 5.29 ERA) and Cleveland’s Joey Cantillo (1-1, 3.67) as the probable starters.
