The Royals weathered more than just their opponents on Sunday’s wind-whipped diamond, overpowering Shaw/Hathcock’s Braves 19 – 10 in the high-octane opener before dropping a tightly contested second game to Garza’s Cardinals, 7 – 4 in a game where Mother Nature seemed to have the final say.
The opener unfolded on a wind-whipped field 3, where a persistent 17-mph crosswind tested outfielders' judgment and turned fly balls into unpredictable adventures. In a back-and-forth slugfest that featured five lead changes, the Royals jumped out to a 2 – 0 lead in the top of the first, only to watch Braves slugger Miguel Duron respond with thunderous defiance, launching a three-run blast that sailed through the gusting currents and beyond the fence in the bottom half. It would be the first of two identical blows Duron would deliver against reigning Cy Young winner Scott Greenberg, but the veteran pitcher adopted a bend-don't-break mentality that would ultimately serve the Royals well.
After trading single runs in the second inning, the Royals reclaimed momentum in the third inning with a four-run flurry, fueled by Michael Murphy’s two-run blast to left and back-to-back doubles from Ryan and Scott Greenberg, putting the Royals ahead 7 – 4. Then came the fifth inning—and an avalanche of offense.
The fifth inning witnessed an offensive eruption of epic proportions. It began with a one-out walk to Murphy (who hadn't seen a hittable pitch since his earlier homer) and quickly snowballed into a 12-run deluge that effectively buried the Braves. The Royals sent a staggering 15 batters to the plate in their third lineup-cycling inning of the season. Six consecutive hits, a bases-loaded walk, and a steady stream of RBI contributions from up and down the lineup rained down on beleaguered Braves pitchers. Robert Avalos, the Royals' emerging offensive powerhouse, delivered twice in the same inning, capping the explosion with a two-run double that seemed to demoralize what remained of the Braves' defensive resolve.
Despite the Braves’ power surge – Duron’s second three-run homer kept the game close – Greenberg scattered 14 hits to earn the win, navigating gusty winds and a dangerous Braves lineup with enough support from his offense to cruise to victory.
Murphy's perfect 3-for-3 performance (4 runs, 3 RBI, double, homer) led a star-studded offensive cast that saw seven Royals collect multiple hits. Ryan Greenberg's trio of doubles drove in three runs, while John Mendez and Nick Pierotti each reached base safely in all three plate appearances.
Michael Murphy 3 – 3, 4 Runs, 3 RBI, BB, 2B, HR, GWRBI
John Mendez 2 – 2, 3 Runs, BB, 2B
Nick Pierotti 2 – 2, 2 Runs, 2 RBI, BB
Ryan Greenberg 3 – 4, 2 Runs, 3 RBI, (3) 2B
Robert Avalos 2 – 3, 2 Runs, 3 RBI, 2B
Scott Greenberg 2 – 3, 2 Runs, 2 RBI, 2B
Mark Phares 2 – 3, 1 Run, 1 RBI, 2B
Scott Leonard 1 – 2, 1 Run, 2 RBI, BB
As the Royals relocated to field 1 for the nightcap, the wind intensified its assault on field 1, now howling left-to-right with a clear determination to dictate the game's narrative. Cardinals' ace Robert Joseph outdueled Greenberg in a low-scoring affair, where Greenberg found himself battling both the Cardinals and the capricious gusts.
The nightcap began ominously for the Royals . In a historically unusual first inning, the first three Cardinals reached base without taking a single swing – capitalizing on Greenberg's struggle to find the strike zone in the swirling wind to plate three quick runs.
What followed was a statistical paradox: despite outhitting the Cardinals 11 – 9, the Royals found themselves unable to string together timely hits needed to overcome the early deficit. Greenberg eventually found his rhythm after the rocky first, allowing just four additional runs, but the damage was done.
A valiant four-run rally in the sixth breathed momentary life into the Royals' hopes, but the Cardinals' lead proved insurmountable, forcing the Royals to settle for a split on a day when the invisible hand of the wind seemed to pick winners and losers with capricious indifference.
Toto Hungers delivered a perfect 3-for-3 performance in the losing effort, while Avalos continued his impressive day with a 2-for-3 showing, including a double and an RBI. Scott Greenberg, determined to contribute on both sides of the ball, added two hits and drove in a run.
As the Royals regroup for this week's challenges, they'll carry both the confidence of their explosive capabilities and the humbling reminder that in softball, as in life, not all elements can be controlled – sometimes you simply need to adjust your swing to the changing winds.
Toto Hungers 3 – 3, 1 Run
Robert Avalos 2 – 3, 1 Run, 1 RBI, 2B
Scott Greenberg 2 – 2, 1 Run, 1 RBI
Larry Lachman 1 – 2, BB
Winds of Fortune: Royals Settle for Doubleheader Split Amid Swirling Gusts
