Cole Ragans shoves, Michael Mashey mashes, and KC ekes out 3-2 victory

With some help from a few errors along the way

Last year, the Royals posted a five-game losing streak by May 6. They did so in 2022 as well. And in 2021. In 2020, the Royals lost five straight before their first month of play. In 2019, they lost five in a row by May 6—on two separate occasions, no less. They did it twice in 2018, too. Kansas City also lost five or more by May 6 in 2017 and in 2016.

But this year, it is May 6, and the Royals have not even lost four straight. It’s been because of nights like tonight, a night where the Royals won 3-2 over the Brewers to stop short losing streaks in their tracks. It often wasn’t pretty tonight, but they got it done.

Starting for the Royals was Cole Ragans, who was—you guessed it—brilliant once again. Ragans kicked off the game by striking out William Contreras and continued mowing down the Milwaukee Brewers with extreme prejudice.

Ragans did make one mistake. In the fourth inning, Willy Adames singled, and then Ragans left a fastball down and in but not down and in enough to Gary Sanchez. Sanchez proceeded to hit a two-run home run, which would be the only runs the Brewers would score.

All of Ragans’ pitches were great. In fact, Rob Friedman (aka Pitching Ninja) posted GIFs of three different pitches. First, there was the 98 MPH heat he was tossing.

Then, the changeup, which Ragans used to great effect.

Oh, and then the slider, too.

The Royals struggled to score against the Brewers’ starter, Bryse Wilson. Wilson snuck through most innings without much trouble until the sixth inning, when he walked Maikel Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr. to put runners on first and second with no outs.

Unfortunately, Vinnie Pasquantino was having a terrible, no good, very bad day. Vinnie had already struck out with a man on base in the first inning, and after swinging at the first pitch following back-to-back walks (a personal pet peeve of mine), Vinnie hit into a double play. Salvador Perez struck out and thus ended the threat in the sixth. It was the first of two consecutive innings where Vinnie hit into a double play.

Before that second double play in the seventh, though, the Royals scored their runs. It started off with a Michael Massey home run.

Following that blast, the Brewers made a bunch of unforced errors. Pitcher Jared Koenig hit Nelson Velazquez with a pitch and then walked Adam Frazier. Next, Adames fumbled a grounder hit to short by Dairon Blanco. And finally, Garcia poked a single into center field only for Blake Perkins to misplay it and allow Blanco to get to third easily. An intentional walk of Witt would bring Vinnie to the plate for the aforementioned double play.

Without James McArthur, the Royals had to make due with their second tier of pitchers. Fortunately, they managed to squeak through, helped by a pair of umpire reviews that went their way (and by the strength of Salvador Perez’s arm, who was otherwise quiet).

The Royals are now 21-15, and are 2.5 games behind the ever-annoying Cleveland Guardians.