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The Kansas City Royals opened its inter-league series with the Milwaukee Brewers by splitting the doubleheader on Saturday, dropping the first game 5-2 and then rebounding with an 8-2 victory in the nightcap.

 

The Brewers took control early in the first contest, scoring two runs in the top of the first against Luinder Avila, who was called up after Michael Wacha was scratched due to illness. Avila went three innings, allowing five runs on eight hits and three walks. 

 

Garrett Mitchell drove home all five Milwaukee runs, knocking in two in the first inning with a double, then crushing a three-run homer in the third. The Royals got two runs back in the seventh thanks to RBI hits from Lane Thomas and Bobby Witt Jr., but that would be all Kansas City could do against Milwaukee’s bullpen.

 

Chad Patrick picked up the win, going five shutout innings with three strikeouts. Trevor Megill earned the save with a scoreless ninth.

 

The second game saw the Royals strike first, with Carter Jensen driving home two runs with a double. The Brewers would tie things up in the third, as Brice Turang hit an RBI triple and then scored on an RBI double from Mitchell.

 

Kansas City reclaimed the lead with a six-run sixth inning. The rally started with a solo homer from Salvador Perez, then continued with RBI singles from Isaac Collins and Kyle Isbel. Maikel Garcia added another run with an RBI double. The Royals scored their final two runs thanks to an error and a wild pitch.

 

Nick Mears picked up the win by tossing a scoreless inning of relief. Eli Morgan went the final three innings to earn the save. Seth Lugo didn’t factor into the decision, allowing two runs on four hits in five innings of work. Brandon Sproat took the loss for Milwaukee.

 

Kansas City is 4-4 and will go for the series win Sunday afternoon. Kris Bubic will face Kyle Harrison. Pregame coverage from the Royals Radio Network begins at 12:30, with first pitch at 1:10 p.m. on KMMO AM 1300.