The Royals wasted no time making a statement in the TSSL 2025 season. With dominant pitching, rock-solid defense, and a potent mix of power and clutch hitting, they’ve stormed out of the gate with a perfect 4 – 0 record. Their latest triumph? Another doubleheader sweep, this time against Casper’s Red Sox, 15 – 5, and Buhrow’s Blue Jays, 12 – 9, with a mix of timely comebacks and offensive fireworks that cemented their early-season dominance.
But one rookie's performance, however, stole the show, sending shockwaves through the League: Royals’ rookie, Robert Avalos. Welcome to the League, indeed. The Royals’ newest slugger had a breakout performance to remember, going 2-for-2 with four runs scored, six RBIs, and three walks. But it was his sheer power that stole the show, belting two monstrous homeruns in the nightcap to almost single-handedly carry the Royals to victory.
Playing on field 2, the game-time temperature of 48° and a gentle 7-mph breeze blowing out to center field felt tropical compared to last week’s arctic conditions. The opener saw the Red Sox strike first with two runs in the top of the first inning, as Ben Collincini and Zane Belyea set the table with singles before Josh Winsor and Troy Knudsen came through with two-out RBI hits.
The Royals' rebuttal was swift and thunderous. After a Nick Pierotti leadoff single, Michael Murphy obliterated a pitch, launching a two-run bomb that traveled well into the next zip code.
The Red Sox counterpunched with three runs in the second, briefly seizing a 5 – 2 advantage as Collincini’s two-run single and Belyea’s RBI hit had the Royals on the ropes. But the Royals’ defense turned the tide with a momentum-shifting gem – a ballet of precision in cleats that delivered their second outfield assist of the young season. With runners on first and second and only one out, Winsor lined a single to left. Pierotti charged in, fielded the ball cleanly, fired to shortstop John Mendez, who spun and delivered a perfect strike to HOF Larry Goldstein at the plate – a 7–6–2 lightning bolt that cut down the runner at home and transformed a daunting 6 – 2 deficit into a manageable 5 – 2 hill to climb.
From there, the Royals’ offense didn’t just take over – it staged a hostile takeover. The bottom of the order delivered in a big way, as Michael Kleinmuntz, Larry Lachman, Goldstein, and Scott Leonard strung together four straight RBI hits. The biggest blow came off Goldstein’s bat—a booming triple that wasn’t just a hit, but an unleashed missile, bending time as it rocketed into the outfield. The Royals never looked back.
The defense continued to shine, turning a 6–3 double play to end the fourth, while the offense piled on nine more runs in the third and fourth innings. Pierotti and Toto Hungers added back-to-back inside-the-park homeruns, and Donnie Holtmann capped things off with a two-run single in the fourth. Scott Greenberg scattered 11 singles as the game ended after five innings by virtue of the run rule, with the Royals up by 10.
Nick Pierotti 3 - 3, 1 Run, 1 RBI, HR
Ryan Greenberg 3 - 3, 2 Runs
Michael Murphy 2 - 2, 3 Runs, 2 RBI, BB, 3B, 2-Run HR
John Mendez 2 - 3, 1 Run, 2 RBI, 3B
Donnie Holtmann 2 - 3, 3 RBI
Michael Kleinmuntz 2 - 3, 1 Run, 1 RBI
Larry Lachman 1 - 1, 1 Run, 1 RBI, BB
Larry Goldstein 1 - 2, 1 Run, 1 RBI, 3B
Scott Leonard 1 - 2, 1 RBI, GWRBI
Robert Avalos (2) BB, SF
Moving to field 4 with that 7-mph breeze now coming in from center field, the nightcap against the Blue Jays was a battle, featuring five lead changes and another dramatic Royals comeback. After a scoreless first inning, Mendez led off the second with a double and scored on Ryan Greenberg’s RBI single. Then, it was Avalos’ time to shine. Facing a 2-2 count, he launched his first homerun of the season, sending it soaring 67 feet high into the netting beyond the left field fence. Had the netting not intervened, the ball would have traveled an estimated 458 feet.
Trailing the Royals a 3 – 0, the Blue Jays roared back with five runs in the third, sparked by HOF JJ Eusay’s scorching two-run triple off the right field fence. With the momentum shifting, they tacked on three more runs, flipping the script and putting the Royals on their heels. But once again, the Royals answered. Murphy and Mendez started the fourth with back-to-back singles, and Ryan Greenberg delivered his second RBI hit of the game. That set the stage for Avalos, who worked the count full before uncorking a moonshot—this time a three-run blast to straightaway center. Registering a 115.4 mph exit velocity, the ball was hit with such force that it looked like it had been shot out of a rocket launcher, putting the Royals back on top, 7 – 5.
Undeterred, the Blue Jays, showing their resilience, clawed back with another fierce rally in the bottom of the fifth, plating four runs to reclaim a 9 – 7 lead. David Buhrow’s clutch two-run single ignited the surge, leaving the Royals staring at their second deficit of the game. But these Royals wear crowns for a reason. Their final rally wasn’t just clutch – it was inevitable.
Hungers singled, and Mendez’s second double of the game brought the Royals within one run. A Blue Jays error gifted the tying run before Ryan Greenberg’s third RBI hit of the game – a double – gave the Royals a 10 – 9 lead. In his final plate appearance, Avalos was all but intentionally walked, as he never saw a hittable pitch. Holtmann flew out to deep left centerfield, allowing Greenberg and Avalos to advance to second and third with two outs. The Royals still clung to a fragile 10 – 9 lead, but with the way the Blue Jays had been swinging the bats all game, a single run hardly felt safe. The tension thickened as Lachman stepped to the plate, knowing an insurance run – or two – was critical. He worked the count, waiting for his pitch. Then, with the Royals' fate teetering, he delivered – a clutch two-run single that stretched the lead to 12 – 9, giving the Royals a much-needed cushion against the relentless Blue Jays offense.
Then came the drama. What followed wasn't just a finish – it was a heart-stopping finale that left the Royals’ faithful checking their pulses. The Blue Jays, using a strategic move to buy more at-bats for their top hitters, successfully flip-flopped innings to bring the top of their lineup to the plate in the sixth just as time expired. The Royals’ defense responded with championship poise. After Dylan Buhrow grounded out, David Buhrow hit a rope to left field that looked like a certain base hit. Pierotti – whose glove should be classified as a lethal weapon – ran full speed and dove at the last second, backhanding the ball just millimeters above the green turf at Spirit Park.
Two outs.
Eusay, Brian Allsbrook, and Doug Kramer – like a law firm specializing in clutch hits – loaded the bases with consecutive singles. With two outs, the tying run stood at first, and the winning run at the plate, Rohit Gulhati stepped in with destiny calling. On a 2 - 2 pitch Gulhati smashed a laser beam up the middle. Scott Greenberg dove not with hope but with desperation – and found magic in his glove's webbing. This was no easy comebacker to the mound; sprawled out on the turf, Greenberg quickly rose to his feet and fired a dart to second base to force Kramer, end the game, and provide an exclamation point to a statement victory!
The Royals’ triumph was a testament to their collective excellence. Avalos showcased tremendous versatility, excelling both at first base and right field while playing a pivotal role in the doubleheader sweep. Ryan Greenberg was equally instrumental, locking down right centerfield with stellar defense while leading the offensive charge. His six hits paced the Royals’ 31-hit attack, which featured an impressive 11 extra-base hits.
With dominant pitching, airtight defense, and an offense firing on all cylinders, the Royals have set the tone – cementing themselves as the team to beat.
Robert Avalos 2 - 2, 3 Runs, 5 RBI, BB, (2) HR (2-Run HR, 3-Run HR)
Ryan Greenberg 3 - 3, 3 Runs, 3 RBI, 2B, GWRBI
John Mendez 3 - 3, 3 Runs, 1 RBI, (2) 2B
Larry Lachman 1 - 3, 2 RBI
Avalos, Murphy Power Royals to Second Straight Doubleheader Sweep to Open Season 4-0
