Royals’ shortstop and First Round Draft pick, Matt Ruckel, underwent successful reconstructive quad and knee surgery on Friday and is expected to miss the rest of the season. Ruckel, a perennial All Star and the epitome of Brotherhood in our league, was severely injured in a freak vacation accident two weeks ago.
Despite the huge loss and subsequent challenges, despite the differences from a normal season, and despite the pandemic related risks, the Royals put together their most complete performance of the season on Sunday as they defeated Banta’s Grasshoppers 14 – 4 in the opener of their doubleheader at Spirit Park.
Stellar pitching, hitting and defense were on full display as the Royals scored in every inning. Royals’ pitcher, Mike Anders turned in a masterpiece, scattering 12 hits over six innings for the victory. Brian Criswell paced the Royals’ 17-hit attack with three hits and scored two runs from the leadoff position. After Criswell singled and scored to start the game, the Grasshoppers scored two in the bottom of the first to take a short-lived lead.
Continuing his hot hitting streak, Sheldon Fulton tripled to lead off the second, and later scored as the Royals took a 3 – 2 lead. Brian Babbitt’s RBI double and Robert Garcia’s 2-run single keyed the Royals’ 3-run third.
The bottom of the order often gets overlooked, but they were crucial in the Royals’ 6-run fourth, when the Royals blew the game open, scoring all their runs after two outs had been recorded.
|
Final |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
R |
H |
|
Royals |
1 |
2 |
3 |
6 |
1 |
1 |
13 |
17 |
|
Grasshoppers |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
12 |
Travis Woods and Larry Lachman singled and scored on David Caldwell’s clutch 2-run double. Consecutive singles by Criswell, Spencer Manz, Max Henry, and Babbitt made it 12 – 2. Anders took it from there, turning in his most dominant pitching performance of the season.
Game 1 Offensive Stars
Brian Criswell 3 – 4, 2 Runs
Travis Woods 2 – 2, 1 Run, 2 RBI, SF
David Caldwell 1 – 1, 3 Runs, 2 RBI, 2B, 2 BB
Sheldon Fulton 2 – 3, 2 Runs, 2B, 3B
Brian Babbitt 2 – 4, 1 Run, 3 RBI, 2B
Spencer Manz 2 – 4, 2 Runs, 1 RBI
Max Henry 2 – 4, 1 RBI
In the nightcap, the Royals collected 12 more hits, but could not come up with key hits with runners in scoring position, in their 13 – 7 loss to Prim’s Muckdogs. The Royals held a slim 3 – 1 lead heading to the top of the third, but the Muckdogs used two big innings to build a 10 – 5 lead; the big blow coming on Donald Prim’s grand slam in the top of the third.
|
Final |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
R |
H |
|
Muckdogs |
1 |
0 |
5 |
4 |
0 |
3 |
13 |
16 |
|
Royals |
3 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
7 |
12 |
Henry led the Royals with three more hits, including a 2-run homerun in the bottom of the sixth, but the supporting cast just was not there in this game. For the second time this season, left fielder, Sheldon Fulton, channeled his inner Willie Mays with stunning accuracy in the fifth inning. Former Royal, Greg Ritter blasted a deep fly ball to left field, and Fulton took off running with his back turned to the infield, never lost track of the ball, and made another unbelievable basket catch.
Game 2 Offensive Stars
Max Henry 3 – 3, 2 Runs, 3 RBI, 2-run HR
Sheldon Fulton 2 – 3, 2 RBI, 2B
Spencer Manz 2 – 3, 2 Runs, 2B
