Kansas City’s shortstop, Bobby Witt Jr., made a mistake with his throw, allowing Cleveland to score three runs in the seventh inning on a ground ball, leading to the Guardians’ 8-5 victory over the Royals on Tuesday night. This game marked the first meeting this season between the top two teams in the AL Central.
Despite trailing 5-0 in the fourth inning, the Guardians made a strong comeback to win the series opener and extend their division lead to five games over the Royals.
Witt hit two two-run homers, covering nearly 1,000 feet altogether, but his error in the seventh inning changed the course of the game in favor of Cleveland.
“I made a mistake,” Witt said. “It cost us the game.”
After Tyler Freeman’s home run tied the game 5-5 for the Guardians and forced Royals starter Seth Lugo out of the game, Cleveland loaded the bases on a fielder’s choice and two walks— one by Sam Long (0-1)— with two outs. That’s when David Fry hit a ground ball up the middle.
Witt fielded it to the right of the base and initially attempted to get Josh Naylor out at second for a force play. When Witt realized he couldn’t make the play, he made a wild throw that first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino had no chance of catching.
The ball ended up in the photographer’s pit, and because Naylor had already reached second base, he was awarded third and home.
Witt wished he could have handled the situation differently.
“I should have just thrown the ball to first and made the play,” he said. “I just kind of slow-played it and should have just made the decision to throw it to first. You learn from it and you try not to make those mistakes and do the little things right and tonight I didn’t.
“I’ve got to move on and learn from it,” he said while there was little conversation taking place in Kansas City’s subdued clubhouse following a tough loss.
On Cleveland’s side, it was a familiar scene—music and card games following the club’s 15th come-from-behind win.
