Royals offense quiet in 4-2 loss to Guardians in series opener

40-year-old Yuli Gurriel leaves the game with an injury.

The Royals offense managed just two hits and extended their losing streak to a season-high six games, falling to the first-place Guardians 4-2 in the series opener on Monday afternoon.

The game got off to a promising start with the Royals getting on the board in the second on an RBI double by Maikel Garcia off Guardians starter Gavin Williams. But that would be the only hit they would manage of Williams in seven innings of work.

Wacha matched him early on, tossing goose eggs in the first four frames with an effective change up. But he gave up a two-run home run to the struggling Lane Thomas to give Cleveland the lead. Wacha would leave after five innings and 85 pitches, with three strikeouts, one walk, and five hits allowed.

Kris Bubic gave up an infield chopper to José Ramírez for a hit, then hung a fastball to Josh Naylor who pounded it over the right-center fence for a two-run home run. In the eighth, Yuli Gurriel led off with a double off Cade Smith, but limped around the bases and exited the game with a hamstring injury. Pinch-runner Freddy Fermin would score on a sac fly by Kyle Isbel to make it 4-2, but the Royals couldn’t get a baserunner against dominant Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase in the ninth.

The Royals fall to 75-64 and are 4.5 games back of first place Cleveland. They’ll try to make up ground again tomorrow evening at 6:40 CT when Brady Singer takes on Tanner Bibee.