Left side of KC's infield supplies decisive spark in tight Game 1 win

BALTIMORE – As starters Cole Ragans and Corbin Burnes put up zero after zero on Tuesday afternoon at Camden Yards, eventually one of them had to blink.

It happened in the sixth inning, courtesy of Maikel Garcia’s legs and Bobby Witt Jr.’s bat, as the Royals eked out a 1-0 victory in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series.

With one out, Garcia drew an eight-pitch walk against the O’s ace, then stole second base with Michael Massey at the plate, getting himself into scoring position.

“The walk hurt,” Burnes said. “The walk cost us the game. I attack him a little better and don’t walk him, we get through there, and we’re in a 0-0 ballgame and we’ve got a chance. Unfortunately, the one big swing today from Bobby was the deciding factor in that game.”

“I told everybody, all my teammates, we know he's a good pitcher, and as soon as I worked the walk, I was automatic,” Garcia said through interpreter Luis Perez. “I was just trying to go to second base.”

• Everything you need to know for Royals-Orioles AL Wild Card Series Game 2

Garcia’s baserunning was one of the main reasons he was in the lineup Tuesday against Burnes. Garcia brought a 95 percent success rate on stolen bases – stealing 37 bags in 39 attempts – into the postseason. With the Orioles’ best pitcher on the mound, the Royals knew they were going to have to be aggressive on the bases and make their own opportunities.

“That was the difference,” said Royals manager Matt Quatraro. “He works a tremendous at-bat for the walk, steals second, scores on the hit. That is the difference in the game, and we know his capabilities. We know how good he is at stealing bases. Everyone does, right? It's no secret. But to be able to execute there and to be in scoring position for Bobby, we'll take that chance every day of the week.”

Witt came to the plate with two outs, first base open and Vinnie Pasquantino – 0-for-2 in his first game back from a fractured thumb – on deck. Why did Burnes pitch to the star shortstop?

“I'm letting Corbin Burnes, the way he's throwing the baseball right there, determine who he wants to go get,” manager Brandon Hyde said.

“We did a good job the first two ABs against him. Pounded him with that cutter down and away, [Witt] took some pretty bad swings on it, weak contact,” Burnes said. “It was a pretty good pitch. He didn’t hit it very hard, just found a hole. And that was the difference in the game.”

For his part, Witt said he planned to go up to the box, find a good pitch and only control what he could. What he got was no surprise to him – a first-pitch cutter in the zone.

“I know [the cutter’s] a pitch [Corbin Burnes is] always going to go to,” Witt said. “That's one of his best pitches and he has a lot of success with it, so just being able to try to make sure I'm on time with whatever pitch is thrown and just being able to try to put it in play and make things happen.”

The single wasn’t hit hard, leaving the bat at only 88.4 mph, but that was hard enough to get through the left side of the infield and score Garcia for what proved to be the game’s only run. After Witt’s outstanding All-Star season, one that is likely to earn him MVP votes, it was no surprise that his bat proved decisive in his postseason debut.

At 24, Witt became the youngest Royal (24 years, 109 days) with a postseason RBI since Clint Hurdle (21 years, 66 days) on Oct. 4, 1978, in Game 2 of the AL Championship Series.

Salvador Perez celebrated in the dugout with the team, but one thought crossed his mind when he saw Garcia making his way to home plate.

“We were up 1-0. We won,” Perez said in Spanish, a nod to his pitching staff’s shutout on Tuesday.

The Royals now have all the momentum heading into Game 2 of the series. While the win provides some ease, they know they have a big chance on Wednesday.

“[The first game is] very important every time,” Perez said. “Especially in the Wild Card, there are only three games. So we’re coming tomorrow, not like we're gonna win – we're not comfortable.”