The Royals wasted little time getting on top of the Chicago White Sox, as the defending American League Champions opened the 2015 season with a 10-1 win at Kauffman Stadium.
A new look offense for the Royals drew five walks and hit two home runs including Mike Moustakas’ first career homer to opposite field and newcomer Alex Rios’ three-run shot in the seventh.
Rios went 3 for 4 in his debut and delivered what Dayton Moore brought him in to do…add power. Â Rios’ homer off Kyle Drabek capped a five-run seventh inning.
“I was trying to put a good swing on the ball and when you do that good things happen,” Rios said.
Sox starter Jeff Samardijza, traded from Oakland in the offseason, was charged with five runs. Â With the Royals up 3-0 in the fifth, Moustakas drove a ball to left center for his first homer of the year. Â For Moose, this was the first time he hit one to the opposite field in his career. Â Another instance where the Royals are maturing and learning to hit to all fields and show patience.
“The numbers don’t matter,” Moustakas said. “We just find a way to win and at the end of the day the numbers will be there.”
Yordano Ventura picked up the win by going six-plus innings, but left in the seventh with a thumb cramp. Â Ventura went down in a heap after throwing a pitch, but walked off the field and manager Ned Yost feels his ace won’t miss any time.
Ventura just agreed to a $23 million, five-year contract. Â He allowed one run on a solo homer, four hits, one walk and two strikeouts.