KC Royals: Ten Best Games So Far This Season

By Leigh Oleszczak | Jul 12, 2015

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Kansas City Royals left fielder Alex Gordon (4) and center fielder Lorenzo Cain (6) celebrate Cain scoring the game winning run after against the Minnesota Twins at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Royals VS Twins: July 3rd at Kauffman Stadium (Royals won 3-2 in 10 innings)

It took until the third of July for the Kansas City Royals to get their first walk-off win, but man when it happened, Kansas City nearly imploded.

It was the second game of a four-game set against AL Central rival Minnesota, and the Royals were already down one game in the series. This was a time in which the Royals had lost four in a row and were slumping offensively. The team needed a boost, and it came eventually… in the tenth inning.

The Twins struck first, scoring off of Jeremy Guthrie in the first inning. The Royals tied things up in the third with a Lorenzo Cain RBI to score Alex Rios. Later, the Twins took the lead again, and it looked as though the Royals’ losing ways would continue. Kendrys Morales would go on to single in Cain, and the game was tied.

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The Royals had the opportunity to win it in walk-off fashion in the ninth, but… Dusty Coleman happened. Coleman had been brought up that day, and had the opportunity to have the winning run in the bottom of the ninth in his major league debut.

Coleman was put into the game to pinch run for Salvador Perez and was moved over to third when Alcides Escobar was intentionally walked. From there, Mike Moustakas lined out and Coleman started to run home, made it about half way and then froze. Coleman then ran back to third, got caught in a run down, and was tagged out near home plate to end the inning.

I was at this game and I was SO angry with Coleman, but I also felt bad for the guy. He was obviously nervous and must have gotten caught up in the bright lights of major league baseball. Had the Royals gone on to lose this game, Coleman’s major league career would have been over before it even began.

Fortunately for Coleman, Lorenzo Cain decided to bail him out in the tenth. Cain got on base and later scored the game winning run on Jarrod Dyson’s ground ball. The play was challenged by the Twins, but the Royals finally got a replay to go their way and the boys in blue achieved their first walk-off win of the season (in dramatic fashion nonetheless).

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Just a few days later, the Royals would see their second walk-off win, also against the Twins. I chose the Friday night game one over the Sunday game because it was the first walk-off win and was a lot more dramatic, with Minnesota challenging the final play of the game and losing.

The Royals would go on to split the series with the Twins at two games a piece.

Next: The best game of the season so far

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