OMAHA, Neb. – Nicky Lopez played in TD Ameritrade Park Omaha for the 76th time on Thursday, but it was unlike any of his first 75 games.
The Creighton product and fifth-round draft pick in 2016 even used the same clubhouse, though his old lockers were occupied by Nebraska natives and veteran teammates Jake Diekman and Alex Gordon.
What made Thursday's game different was that rather than donning the White and the Blue from his college days at Creighton, he instead was doing it as a member of the Kansas City Royals. Lopez batted sixth and played second base against the Detroit Tigers as part of the first Major League game ever played in the state of Nebraska.