Royals' Italian Connection Is Swinging Hot, and the Mariners Have a Problem

Kansas City rolled into T-Mobile Park Friday night and reminded Seattle exactly why you don't sleep on a team finding its rhythm. The Royals took the series opener 7-6, and it wasn't some defensive struggle or pitching clinic. It was power. Raw, early-inning, dugout-celebrating power from a pair of guys who bonded over pasta and the World Baseball Classic.

The Italy Connection Is Real

Vinnie Pasquantino and Jac Caglianone both homered in the sixth inning Friday, and the way Pasquantino celebrated told you everything about their friendship. When Caglianone went deep, Pasquantino pinched his fingers together in that classic Italian hand gesture and greeted him at the top step with a kiss on both cheeks. These guys helped Italy pull off a surprising fourth-place finish at the World Baseball Classic, and that bond is carrying over into the regular season.

Pasquantino had been riding the bench the previous two games with lower back tightness, but he showed up Friday ready to work. He went yard off Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo, launching a 95-mph fastball 404 feet off the facade of the second deck in right field. He also added an RBI single in a four-run first inning. The heating pad he was using in the dugout? Apparently just a precaution. "He feels better," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. "It's a good thing for him to keep moving."

Seattle's Bats Fought Back, But the Royals Found the Right Moment

The Mariners weren't getting rolled. Julio Rodriguez went deep twice with two-run shots, and Connor Joe and Randy Arozarena also homered to keep Seattle in this thing. The home team even rallied from a four-run deficit. But here's the killer: Lane Thomas' go-ahead single with one out in the eighth broke the tie and sent Kansas City home with a 7-6 win. The Royals are now just 4-16 in road games this season, so this one stings.

Seattle lost some firepower down the stretch when reliever Matt Brash got placed on the 15-day injured list with inflammation in his right lat. That mattered in the eighth when the Mariners had to leave in lefty Jose A. Ferrer instead of going to Brash to face Thomas. It's the kind of moment that defines a series.

Saturday's Matchup Is All About Starting Pitching

Game two features the Royals' Seth Lugo (1-1, 2.63 ERA) against the Mariners' Emerson Hancock (2-1, 2.86 ERA). Lugo is coming off his worst start of the season, when he gave up seven runs on 14 hits in 6 1/3 innings against the Angels on Sunday. His career record against Seattle sits at 1-1 with a 6.00 ERA in three appearances. Hancock took a no-decision his last time out at St. Louis, allowing two runs on seven hits over six innings in a 3-2 Mariners win. He's 0-1 with a 7.50 ERA in three career outings against Kansas City.

The Royals are riding something right now, and the Mariners have to answer Saturday night at T-Mobile Park.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.