Ian Kennedy pitches a gem in debut as Royals crush Twins 7-0

Ian Kennedy handed the baseball to his manager and took his first step off the pitcher’s mound on late Saturday night, the noise inside Kauffman Stadium rising to a steady roar. He sauntered back to the dugout, tipping his cap softly as he crossed the first-base line. As he reached the dugout stairs, and the mass of white jerseys that awaited inside, the 31,001 fans here were on their feet and applauding.

Kennedy’s Royals debut would soon be in the books, a clean and well-crafted gem in a 7-0 shellacking of the Minnesota Twins. He had lasted 6 2/3 innings, striking out seven while allowing just five hits. He had outlasted and outdueled Twins starter Tommy Milone, his old college teammate from Southern California. He shook off any concern about a lingering hamstring issue.

On his first night of work in a new home, Kennedy was mostly impenetrable, his four-seam fastball running across every corner of the plate. The night, he said, even exceeded his own expectations.

“Maybe a little bit,” Kennedy said.

“He was just on top of his game,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “He had everything going.”

As Kennedy painted, the Kansas City offense made sure the night lacked drama. Mike Moustakas and Lorenzo Cain opened the scoring with back-to-back homers in the fourth inning. The Royals pieced together two more runs in the fifth. Designated hitter Kendrys Morales ignited a three-run burst in the sixth with a solo homer into the party porch in right. Right fielder Paulo Orlando racked up three hits in his season debut. The Royals improved to 3-1 entering the series finale on Sunday.

And yet, the night belonged to Kennedy, who arrived this offseason as the club’s marquee addition to its starting rotation. A year ago, the Royals won the World Series with a starting rotation that often seemed to be piece-meal and stitched together. They overcame injuries and struggling veterans and still rolled to 95 victories. When the 2015 season was over, general manager Dayton Moore set out to find stability in the form of innings and starts. He came upon Kennedy, a 31-year-old right-hander who had made at least 30 starts in six straight seasons.

In the final days of January, the Royals officially won the bidding for Kennedy, lavishing a five-year, $70 million deal on the free agent right-hander. It was the second-largest contract in Royals history, and the deal raised antennas around the industry. Kennedy finished 9-15 with a 4.28 ERA in 30 starts for San Diego in 2015. In his last three seasons, he had not posted an ERA-plus higher than league average. The price for durability, it seems, is not cheap.

And yet, the Royals saw upside, too, an innings-eater who could perhaps be more when reunited with pitching coach Dave Eiland, who worked with Kennedy as a young prospect in New York. On Saturday night, Kennedy was a little more.

“He just continually banged strikes down in the zone, changed speeds, was very efficient,” Yost said. “Just a great outing by him tonight.”

Kennedy offered durability, lasting 109 pitches on a chilly night in Kansas City. He also offered excellence, keeping the Twins offense in check. He struck out first baseman Joe Mauer twice. He allowed just one hit — a double — through the first three innings. His four-seam fastball sat at 92 mph and induced a rash of weak contact.

“I felt like I had good life on it,” Kennedy said. “But when I get the ball down, it allows you to do so many things. You can throw your change-up off that or your curveball if you elevate it.”

For one night at least, Kennedy offered also hope. The Royals did not sign him to anchor their staff. But he could provide depth and stability to a reconfigured unit. In the first week of the season, the Royals are still wading into the 2016 season. But on Saturday, they showcased the best version of themselves.

After being the last team in baseball to hit a homer, the Royals cracked three, though there was little party for the power display in the clubhouse.

“I don’t think we care,” said Moustakas, who finished 2 for 5 with two RBIs. “We’ve won games without hitting homers. This isn’t a home-run park, especially the way the weather is right now.”

Veteran right-hander Chien-Ming Wang also threw a scoreless ninth inning, his first major-league appearance since Aug. 24, 2013.

On early Saturday afternoon, in the hours before his Kansas City debut, Kennedy had sauntered through the home clubhouse at Kauffman Stadium. It was just after 2:50 p.m.. He wore basketball shorts and a dry-fit T-shirt. He would not take the mound for another three hours and 25 minutes. He passed reliever Wade Davis, who was preparing for an afternoon workout.

“You’re early,” Davis said.

Kennedy smiled and turned back toward Davis as he left the room, stumbling through an answer about still learning the American League schedule. In a moment, he was off to continue his routine. Perhaps he just wanted everything to go perfect on his first night.

“This is a little more added to it,” Kennedy said afterward. “Coming to a new team, and coming to the defending world champs, you want to do well. You’re just kind of coming to pitch at the K. That’s another thing. It’s a great atmosphere. It maybe adds a little bit to it.”

Royals 7, Twins 0

a-flied out for Rosario in the 7th. b-grounded into a fielder’s choice for E.Escobar in the 9th.

E: E.Escobar 2 (2). LOB: Minnesota 8, Kansas City 9. 2B: Rosario (2), S.Perez (1). 3B: A.Escobar (2). HR: Moustakas (1), off Milone; L.Cain (1), off Milone; K.Morales (1), off Fien. RBIs: A.Escobar (1), Moustakas 2 (2), L.Cain (1), K.Morales (2), Orlando (1). CS: E.Escobar (1).

Runners left in scoring position: Minnesota 5 (Dozier, Sano 3, Plouffe); Kansas City 6 (Hosmer 4, Moustakas, S.Perez). RISP: Minnesota 0 for 5; Kansas City 4 for 12.

Inherited runners-scored: Fien 2-0, Tonkin 1-1, D.Duffy 2-0. WP: Perkins 2, Kennedy.

Umpires: Home, D.J. Reyburn; First, John Hirschbeck; Second, Bill Welke; Third, Vic Carapazza. Time: 3:04. Att: 31,001.

This story was originally published April 9, 2016 at 9:28 PM with the headline "Ian Kennedy pitches a gem in debut as Royals crush Twins 7-0."