Carter Jensen hit a go-ahead, solo homer in the sixth inning and Jonathan India belted a two-run shot in the eighth, lifting the visiting Kansas City Royals to a 4-2 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Monday night.
Jensen drove a fastball into the right field stands off rookie Peyton Pallette (0-1), giving the Royals their first lead at 2-1. India, who had an RBI single in the fourth, took Kolby Allard deep to left two innings later to plate Jensen and make it 4-1.
Michael Wacha (1-0) pitched seven strong innings, giving up one run on a homer to Steven Kwan as part of three hits. The right-hander had three strikeouts and three walks as Kansas City won the opener of the three-game series.
Lucas Erceg earned his third save in three opportunities with a clean ninth. Brayan Rocchio had a solo homer off Matt Strahm in the eighth for the Guardians, who only advanced two runners past second base.
Cleveland third baseman Jose Ramirez appeared in his franchise-record 1,620th game, walking twice and going 0-for-2. The seven-time All-Star, who has spent all 14 of his major league seasons with the Indians/Guardians, surpassed Terry Turner for the mark.
Kwan gave the Guardians a 1-0 lead in the third with his first homer since Sept. 21, 2025, a 381-foot shot that hooked inside the foul pole in left. It was the initial run allowed by Wacha in 8 2/3 innings to begin the season.
Kansas City tied it in the fourth on India’s sharp, two-out single that scored Vinnie Pasquantino. Guardians starter Tanner Bibee appeared to end the frame one batter earlier when he struck out Jensen, but the wild pitch evaded catcher Bo Naylor.
Bibee gave up one run in 4 2/3 innings, striking out three with a walk. The right-hander was visibly displeased when manager Stephen Vogt removed him with two on and one out, but Tim Herrin entered and retired Pasquantino.
Cleveland shortstop Gabriel Arias exited in the fifth with left hamstring tightness, injuring himself while running to second base with a double.
Maikel Garcia, Bobby Witt Jr., Jensen and India each had two hits for Kansas City, while Kwan accounted for half of the Guardians’ total output of four hits.
–Field Level Media
