The Baltimore Orioles secured a 6-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night, thanks to a dramatic walk-off home run by Jordan Westburg in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Westburg’s heroics came on an 0-2 pitch from Royals pitcher Nick Anderson, breaking the tie after the Royals had rallied to even the score in the top of the inning. The opposite-field blast to right field marked Westburg’s first career walk-off homer and a memorable moment for the second-year infielder.
Ryan Mountcastle also made significant contributions for the Orioles, hitting a home run and driving in three runs. For the Royals, Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez both homered, continuing their impressive form from the previous game.
The game remained tied at 3-3 until the eighth inning when the Orioles took the lead with an RBI infield single by Mountcastle. However, the Royals responded in the top of the ninth, scoring a run to once again tie the game.
In the bottom of the ninth, Westburg delivered the decisive blow with his two-run homer, securing the win for the Orioles and sparking scenes of jubilation at Camden Yards.
Both starting pitchers, Michael Wacha for the Royals and Dean Kremer for the Orioles, put in solid performances despite giving up early runs. Wacha, making his debut for the Royals, allowed three runs in five innings, while Kremer surrendered three runs in 5 1/3 innings for the Orioles.
The game featured some impressive defensive plays, including diving stops by Mountcastle and Gunnar Henderson to prevent runs for the Orioles.
Looking ahead, the Orioles’ Cole Irvin is set to face the Royals’ Alec Marsh on Tuesday night, with rain in the forecast for the matchup at Camden Yards.
The St. Louis Cardinals emerged victorious with a 6-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Monday night. The game held special significance as it marked the return of former Cardinals manager Mike Shildt, now managing the Padres, to St. Louis.
The Cardinals got off to a strong start, scoring three runs in the first inning off Padres pitcher Matt Waldron. Brendan Donovan led off with a single, followed by a two-out RBI double from Nolan Arenado. Willson Contreras then delivered a two-run homer to center field, giving the Cardinals an early lead.
St. Louis continued to extend their lead with an RBI single from Paul Goldschmidt in the second inning, making it 4-0. Waldron struggled through four innings, allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out seven.
The Padres managed to get on the board in the third inning when rookie Jackson Merrill hit his first career home run, a liner to left field. However, the Cardinals’ defense came up big in the fifth inning, with Jordan Walker making a sensational diving catch to prevent further damage.
St. Louis added to their lead in the sixth inning with another two-run homer, this time from Brendan Donovan, his first of the season. The Padres responded with a solo home run from Fernando Tatis Jr. in the sixth, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Cardinals’ lead.
On the pitching side, Cardinals starter Kyle Gibson was outstanding in his St. Louis debut, allowing just two runs on four hits over seven innings while striking out four and walking two. Gibson’s performance provided a much-needed boost to the Cardinals bullpen.
Looking ahead, Cardinals right-hander Miles Mikolas is set to face Padres right-hander Yu Darvish in the next game on Tuesday night. Both teams will be eager to continue their momentum as the series unfolds.
Other MLB scores from Monday, April 1, 2024:
Atlanta 9, Chicago (AL) 0 (8)
Chicago (NL) 5, Colorado 0
Pittsburgh 8, Washington 4
Cincinnati 6, Philadelphia 3
Los Angeles (AL) 7, Miami 4
Texas 9, Tampa Bay 3
Detroit 5, New York (NL) 0 (10)
Houston 10, Toronto 0
Boston 9, Oakland 0
Seattle 5, Cleveland 4
New York (AL) 5, Arizona 2
Los Angeles (NL) 8, San Francisco 3
