Yusei Kikuchi and Cole Ragans were locked in a good, old-fashioned pitchers’ duel for the first five innings. The two southpaws went back and forth, allowing only a pair of baserunners each. Ragans, at one point, struck out eight consecutive Astros hitters. 22 whiffs on 51 swings for the evening. Kikuchi was no slouch himself, striking out seven of nine Royals hitters at one point, including four in a row. He had 20 whiffs on 52 swings. If you are a fan of quality pitchers putting up zeroes and dominating the opposing lineup, again, those first five innings were meant for you.
Yusei Kikuchi Strikes Out 12, Astros Win 5-2
