In the electric atmosphere of Camden Yards on Tuesday afternoon, Bobby Witt Jr. and Cole Ragans led the Kansas City Royals to a thrilling 1-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series. A crowd of 41,506 Orioles fans twirled orange towels, filling the stadium with energy, but it was the Royals who seized the spotlight, marking their triumphant return to postseason baseball after a nine-year hiatus.
Bobby Witt Jr., the Royals’ 24-year-old star shortstop, did not disappoint in his much-anticipated playoff debut. As the final notes of the national anthem echoed through the stadium, Witt took a moment to soak in the atmosphere before delivering the game’s most pivotal hit. In the sixth inning, with two outs, Witt smacked a 95 mph cutter from Orioles ace Corbin Burnes—the 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner—through the infield, driving in Maikel Garcia for the game’s only run.
Garcia, another postseason newcomer, had drawn a walk earlier in the inning, showcasing the Royals‘ aggressive baserunning strategy by swiping second and advancing to third on a groundout. Burnes, who allowed the most stolen bases in the majors this season, was unable to contain Kansas City’s speed on the basepaths.
Ragans, also making his postseason debut, was magnificent on the mound for the Royals. The left-hander fired six shutout innings, scattering just three hits and striking out seven. The Orioles, who entered the game as one of the league’s most potent offensive teams, were kept off-balance throughout Ragans’ outing, as he mixed in his fastball and curveball with pinpoint accuracy.
Ragans’ dominant performance was followed by a bullpen that refused to crack under pressure. Lucas Erceg earned a four-out save, striking out Orioles‘ rookie Heston Kjerstad in the bottom of the ninth inning to seal the win. Erceg admitted afterward that he felt the weight of the moment, needing to slow down and stick to his routine after feeling out of sync in the early moments of his outing.
For the Royals, who improved by 30 wins this season after a dismal 106-loss campaign in 2023, this victory represents the emergence of a young core ready to embrace the October stage. Witt Jr., who led the majors with 211 hits and a .332 batting average this year, was the catalyst on offense, while Ragans and Erceg anchored a pitching staff that delivered under pressure.
“It was a surreal moment, just hearing the crowd and feeling the energy,” Witt said after the game. “I had some nerves, but once we got into the flow of the game, I just trusted myself. I knew we had a great chance to win.”
The Orioles, on the other hand, are now in a precarious position, having lost their last nine postseason games. Their ace, Burnes, pitched valiantly through seven innings but was unable to generate any run support from the offense. Baltimore will need to regroup quickly if they hope to force a decisive Game 3.
Kansas City now holds the advantage and will look to close out the series on Wednesday, as All-Star Seth Lugo takes the mound for the Royals against Baltimore’s Zach Eflin. With a chance to clinch a spot in the AL Division Series against the New York Yankees, the Royals are eager to continue their improbable postseason run.
For now, the Royals and their fans can celebrate a gutsy Game 1 win, as the young stars of Kansas City step confidently into the postseason spotlight.
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