Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. hits go-ahead double for win in MLB debut
from Adam Stites, from YardBarker.com/www.yardbarker.com
The first career hit for third baseman Bobby Witt Jr. was a go-ahead double in the eighth inning that led to the Kansas City Royals’ 3-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday.
Witt, 21, was the second overall pick in the 2019 MLB June Amateur Draft and emerged over the last three years as arguably the top prospect in the minor leagues. In 63 games at the AAA level last year, Witt batted .285 with 17 home runs, 46 runs batted in, and 15 stolen bases.
The Royals fell behind 1-0 to the Guardians in the fourth inning, but tied the game up in the fifth. Witt’s double down the left field line gave Kansas City a 2-1 lead.
The lead increased to 3-1 when Witt advanced to third on a wild pitch and a base hit from Royals’ Andrew Benintendi brought him home. After the game, Witt was on the receiving end of a Gatorade bath from his teammates.
The Royals finished the 2021 season with a 74-88 record and missed the postseason for the sixth straight year. Kansas City’s last trip to the playoffs ended with a win over the New York Mets in the 2015 World Series.