KC Royals Beat Astros 6-2, Still Best Team In MLB

KC Royals are 7-2 after beating Houston 6-2 Thursday night. The total team victory featured stellar defense, tough pitching, hitting the cover off the ball and generally looking awesome.

Mike Moustakas started things off in the 1st inning with his third home run of the season. It was a curve thrown by Doug Fister that landed in the second row of seats in right-field. That was the first of five straight rockets hit off Royals bats that would result in a grand total of one run. Moose, Cain, Hoz, Morales then Gordo in the second all smashed the ball and Houston was lucky to make it through that onslaught.

The Royals got a nice double play in the bottom of the 2nd when starter Ian Kennedy struck out Tyler White swinging. Colby Rasmus was gunned down by Sal at second base. There is no explanation why Rasmus was running against Salvy in the 2nd inning. But Sal took his time, wound up and launched a bullet to 2nd to complete the double play.

Lorenzo Cain made a great catch in short right-field in the 4th inning. He made a ton of putouts in center Thursday night.

Doug Fister was getting creamed all night. He gave up eight very hard hit balls by the 6th inning, many coming during a span of 14 straight outs. With 2 outs in the top of the 6th and behind 0-1, his luck ran out. Cain hit a little pop fly to right but George Springer lost it in the LED lights at Minute Maid Park. It won’t be the last time that happens, those lights are a disaster. The stadium lighting engineer, Yugota B. Kidden, was last seen speeding up I-35 toward the Oklahoma state line.

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Instead of the inning being over and Houston going into the bottom of the 6th behind 0-1, the Royals scored five straight runs with the glaring two outs on the scoreboard to take a 6-0 lead. The Royals haven’t scored five runs that fast since…since…well the 2015 playoffs at Houston. Oops. The Royals scored five runs in the 8th inning of that game to steal the game and to go on and win the series on the way to the championship. Need any more similarities? In 2015 Rios, the #9 hitter led off the inning at Minute Maid with a single. Thurs night, Orlando the #9 hitter led of the inning at Minute Maid with a single.

It was nice to see the Astros get a single in the 6th inning. Hooray! Then Alcides Escobar made what Rex Hudler called the “play of the year” a spectacular over the shoulder grab on a short fly to center. He slid to the ground, hopped up and made a great throw to Hosmer at first base to double up Carlos Gomes. It was an unbelievable play that will be shown on Sportscenter highlights for a long time. Esky was the leadoff batter in the next inning, a prerequisite to any historic defensive play.

Next: Are The 2016 Royals The Best KC Team Ever?