Jumping in that in the first inning was huge.”
“It was one of those things that you kind of just have to trust the scouting reports, trust (coaches Terry Bradshaw and John Mabry) and trust your abilities. “It is pretty tough because you’re seeing one guy and then the next time - you’re not really getting familiar with that one starting pitcher,” Lopez said of facing a bullpen game. Then Hunter Dozier’s sacrifice fly drove in the second run of the inning. That was the third consecutive walk by Wittgren. Carlos Santana walked with the bases loaded to force in the first run. The Royals drew first blood in the first inning as Indians starter/opener Nick Wittgren struggled to throw strikes. The Indians used six pitchers with just one going for as many as two innings. “They’ve been beating up on us pretty good this year, but I think the most important thing we can do as the season is winding down is just carry some momentum going into the offseason.”īoth teams went with a cast of bullpen pitchers in the second game. “That was huge,” Royals shortstop Nicky Lopez said.
After winning the first meeting between the teams this season, the Royals had lost 11 in a row to the Indians (73-76).
