The Guardians will look to even up the series in Kansas City after being walked off last night.
There was a lot to like about last night's game. Nolan Jones looked fantastic in his Big League Debut, Franmil Reyes hit a monster opposite-field home run, Myles Straw had a multi-hit night, and Aaron Civale was marvelous on the mound. But it all fell apart for the Guardians in the eighth and ninth inning.
The Guardians have now lost five straight games, all to teams in the bottom of their division. It's not a streak that they want to hold onto for much longer, but they have a good chance to break out of it today.
Guardians Lineup:
Nolan Jones
Nolan Jones is getting his second career start in right field. Even though it isn't his natural position, he did a great job last night of tracking down balls and making himself look comfortable out there.
Jones will also try to keep up his offensive production after going 2-3 last night and hitting an RBI double for his first Big League hit.
Reyes Rebounding After IL Stint
Franmil Reyes has really turned it on in the month of July after spending time on the IL. He has four home runs this month including a two-run, opposite-field home run last night.
Franmil loves hitting at Kauffman Stadium! He has a career batting average of .328, three home runs, and 12 RBI there. This could make him a big factor in game two.
Pitching Matchup:
Triston McKenzie (3.71 ERA) vs. Jonathan Heasley (4.76 ERA)
Triston McKenzie is coming off one of his best starts of the season where he shut down a loaded Yankees offense. He pitched seven innings, only gave up one hit and one walk and didn't allow any runs.
Outside of two rough starts against the Twins, McKenzie has had a terrific first half of the season. He has one previous appearance against the Royals this year where he pitched three innings and gave up two hits and two runs.
This was in the first series of the season when managers were still being careful with pitchers after a shortened Spring Training.
In his career, he has six previous starts against the Royals where he has a 3.15 ERA and a 3-2 record against them.
The Royals' number eight prospect, Jonathan Heasley, is also coming off a quality start against the Astros where he pitched six innings and only gave up one run. He has one previous start against the Guardians this year where he gave up six hits and three runs.
The Guardians seem to hit Heasley well, so this could be a great opportunity for them to get their offense going.
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