The Kansas City Royals split their doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night, taking the second game 7-5 in a back-and-forth battle at Busch Stadium. Maikel Garcia set the tone early with a two-run homer in the first, marking the Royals’ third straight game with a first-inning blast. Bobby Witt Jr. chipped in with a single and scored on Garcia’s shot, helping Kansas City jump ahead 2-0.
The Cardinals responded quickly, with Willson Contreras and Nolan Arenado powering a four-run third to even the score at 5-5. But the Royals regained control in the fourth when Nick Loftin’s RBI single broke the tie, and Garcia scored again on a Salvador Perez single in the fifth.
Royals starter Cole Ragans, just back from the injured list, lasted three innings and allowed five runs, but reliever Angel Zerpa steadied the ship with three scoreless frames to earn the win. Carlos Estévez notched his 18th save, closing out the Cardinals in the ninth.
Kansas City moves to 32-30 on the season and heads to Chicago to face the White Sox next, while the Cardinals, now 34-27, prepare to host the Dodgers. Bobby Witt Jr. continues to be a spark at the top of the lineup as the Royals look to build on this momentum.
