Just like the previous two games, the Royals took an early lead tonight in Houston. Unlike the previous two, however, Kansas City this time held on for a 7-4 victory.
Cristian Javier entered tonight’s game having allowed just two runs in his last 19 innings pitched. The Royals rendered that moot by playing some good ol’ three-true-outcomes baseball, giving themselves a 4-1 lead after two innings. Their first eight plate appearances: home run, walk, strikeout, strikeout, home run, strikeout, strikeout, home run. The home runs were increasingly impressive. Whit Merrifield’s leadoff dinger was a high flyball that took advantage of the Crawford Boxes, with Minute Maid being one of just three ballparks that it would have left.