KANSAS CITY -- Just call it the home run homestand featuring Vinnie Pasquantino.
Continuing a trend that has marked their 7-2 homestand, the Royals pounced on the Rangers Wednesday with a recently familiar weapon. After singles by Mike Yastrzemski and Bobby Witt Jr. in the first inning, Pasquantino promptly drilled a three-run homer to right-center off Caleb Boushley, who was making his first Major League start.
That cushion didn’t hold up as Texas roared back for a 6-3 victory. But with 17 homers on the homestand -- including five by Pasquantino -- the Royals are brimming with confidence about what the new-found power game can mean for them down the stretch as they make their playoff push.
The Royals have homered in 10 straight games since Aug. 10 to mark the longest active streak in the Majors. They now have seven homers through the opening three games of the Texas series and Pasquantino has homered in each game.
“Extremely encouraging,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of the recent homer binge. “You get three runs on one swing of the bat, it’s tremendous. Vinnie has been swinging the bat exceptionally well for a long period of time now, but the power is an added bonus.”
The Rangers started Boushley because veteran right-hander Jacob deGrom was skipped in his normal rotation spot for load management.
“Leading off the game with two hits like Yaz and Bob did just helps me see a lot of pitches,” Pasquantino said. “Just grinding the guy down. We did a nice job of that. We knew he had like 60 to 65 [pitches]. At least, that’s what he had done previously.”
Boushley wound up throwing 37 pitches in the first, but the Royals missed some opportunities and didn’t score after Pasquantino started the night with a bang. In the end, it was Pasquantino’s error in the ninth that helped set the table for Kyle Higashioka’s game-winning three-run double off Sam Long.
Long had two outs and nobody on when Wyatt Langford walked. Corey Seager hit a roller to first that bounced off Pasquantino’s glove for an error. Marcus Semien followed with an infield hit to load the bases before Higashioka came through by ripping his double into the left-field corner to clear the bases.
“Just not good enough,” Pasquantino said. “The play has to get made. Nothing happened other than me not catching it. Lost this game. I mean, pretty simple. Make that play, you’ve got a chance to head into the bottom of the ninth there [tied]. Direct cause and effect was me not catching that ball.”
Royals starter Noah Cameron gave up only two runs but lasted just 4 2/3 innings on a night when his command wasn’t up to par. Cameron wound up throwing 89 pitches and had three walks.
“Not super happy with the efficiency,” Cameron said. “Long at-bats, three walks. The kryptonite for a pitcher is long counts.”
Despite having a five-game winning streak snapped, the Royals suddenly find themselves smack in the middle of an intriguing American League Wild Card picture. Kansas City ended the night 2 1/2 games back of Seattle for the final Wild Card spot.
If the Royals can win the series finale on Thursday afternoon and take three of four from the Rangers, they’ll hit the road for Detroit this weekend feeling good about a homer-happy homestand that has enabled them to pass both Cleveland and Texas in the Wild Card pecking order.
“Quick turnaround,” Pasquantino said. “We just have to attack what’s in front of us.”