Royals blow out A's after giving up a home run on the first pitch

PJ Green, The Kansas City Star on Aug 17, 2026

Published in Baseball

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A first-pitch home run could have doomed the Kansas City Royals. Instead, it ignited them.

The Royals (52-74) trounced the visiting Athletics (49-76) 9-5 in the series opener between two teams at the bottom of the AL standings.

It’s exactly what the Royals want to see when their young core of Bobby Witt Jr., Jac Caglianone, Maikel Garcia, Vinnie Pasquantino and Carter Jensen feature in the lineup. It’s the first time they’ve all played together since June 13.

Garcia and Pasquantino returned from injury stints Monday for their first game back in weeks.

A’s first baseman Jeff McNeil belted Michael Wacha’s first-pitch 91 mph fastball to right field to start Monday’s game.

The Royals quickly answered against powerful right-hander Mason Barnett. They responded with a three-run bottom half of the inning.

In the first at-bat of his return, Maikel Garcia sent Bobby Witt Jr. home from third with an RBI single to tie the game. He advanced into scoring position and moved Jac Caglianone to third.

With two outs, Salvador Perez notched a two-run single to center field to clear the bases and give the Royals a 3-1 lead. The next inning, Witt belted a 95 mph fastball to left field for a two-run homer to increase the lead to 5-1.

Kyle Isbel notched an RBI single in the third for a 6-1 lead. It was the last at-bat to end Barnett’s evening. He lasted 2 2/3 innings.

The Royals posted six runs, seven hits, four walks and two strikeouts against Barnett, who threw 83 pitches.

It helped provide some insurance for Wacha’s start. He recovered well from the homer, but the A’s responded in the fifth inning and got three runs.

The Athletics’ Tommy White opened the inning with a solo home run off a high 92 mph sinker and catcher Brian Serven hit a two-run shot to left off an 80 mph changeup.

Wacha (6-8, 3.58 ERA) got out of the inning and ended his night with four runs and three strikeouts on 79 pitches. He went five innings.

Kansas City added another run in the sixth to make it 7-4. Witt got on base with his third hit of the game. Caglianone drove him home with a single for his third hit and second RBI of the game.

Fresh call-up Connor Thomas, John Schreiber and Nate Pearson took care of the next three innings for the Royals. Lucas Erceg was picked to close but was yanked for Steven Cruz after loading the bases with no outs in 14 pitches.

Cruz relinquished a run but finished off the win.

The Royals ended the night with 13 hits. Left fielder Isaac Collins was the only Royal without a hit.

What’s next

Daniel Lynch IV (4-4, 2.88 ERA) will start against the Athletics’ Jack Perkins (2-9, 7.27) on Tuesday at 7:40 p.m. ET for the second game in the series.

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