Royals open up the season with series loss to the Guardians

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The first three games of Kansas City's 162-game marathon were an up-and-down affair. After splitting the first two games of 2025, the Royals fell to the Cleveland Guardians in rubber match action, on Sunday, 6-2.

The Guardians rode Tanner Bibee's arm to the first series win of the season. The Cleveland right-hander pitched a shutout into the seventh inning, as he gave up no runs on two hits in 6 2/3 innings of work. He also struck out two batters and walked a couple of KC players.

It was a much different story for skipper Matt Quatraro's starting pitchers in the first series of 2025. None of his starters got past the fifth inning in the first three games, including Michael Wacha, who started Sunday's game. Wacha threw for four innings and allowed one run on four hits, with two strikeouts and four walks. He was handed the loss to drop to 0-1 on the season.

His relief didn't fair much better. Pitchers Sam Long and Chris Stratton each gave up two earned runs apiece in about an inning of work. In fact, Hunter Harvey was the only Kansas City pitcher to end up with a clean inning, as he struck out one batter and didn't allow a hit in the ninth inning.

The Royals couldn't find any heat at the plate until the eighth inning. That's when KC star Bobby Witt Jr. brought home the first run of the day with an RBI single to left field. Then, in that same inning, Hunter Renfroe came home on a bases loaded walk to cut the deficit to six runs. In that inning, Kansas City actually had the tying run at the plate, but Twins pitcher Hunter Gaddis forced a groundout to end the threat.

Matters got worse for Quatraro and company in the ninth inning.

Cleveland just needed one more out to end the game, when pitcher Emmanuel Clase drilled Jonathan India in the face with a 99 mph pitch. India was able to walk off the field, visibly upset with Clase.

Up next - the Royals will start up a series against the Milwaukee Brews on Monday, March 31. First pitch in Milwaukee is set for 1:10 p.m.