Yusei Kikuchi led the Houston Astros to a 5-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night by striking out 12 batters in seven innings. Since being acquired by Houston just before the trade deadline, Kikuchi has been performing well with a 3-0 record and a 2.57 ERA. Despite giving up five hits, he only allowed one run and walked none during the game. The Astros’ offense came alive in the sixth inning when they scored five runs, chasing Royals’ starter Cole Ragans from the game.
Ragans had a strong start, allowing just one hit in the first five innings and setting a franchise record for the Royals with eight consecutive strikeouts at one point. However, he couldn’t maintain his dominance as the Astros capitalized on his pitching in the sixth inning. Jeremy Peña’s two-run triple and Yainer Diaz’s two-run single were instrumental in the Astros’ offensive surge.
Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. hit his 29th home run of the season in the eighth inning off Astros reliever Hector Neris. Witt, who leads the major leagues in hits, batting average, and runs, had initially struggled in Houston but managed to make an impact in the game. In the same inning, Royals right fielder Garrett Hampson made a spectacular catch at the wall to deny Yordan Alvarez a home run.
In terms of injuries, Astros’ third baseman Alex Bregman missed the game due to elbow soreness but is reportedly improving. The Astros will be looking to complete a four-game sweep against the Royals on Sunday, with Royals’ RHP Alec Marsh facing Astros’ RHP Ronel Blanco.
The game showcased Kikuchi’s dominant pitching performance and the Astros’ resilient offense, setting the stage for an exciting conclusion to the series on Sunday.
