KANSAS CITY — Bobby Witt Jr. capped his highly anticipated debut with his first hit, a two-out double in the eighth inning to put the Kansas City Royals ahead, who beat the renamed Cleveland Guardians 3-1 on Thursday. .
Andrew Benintendi drove in Witt after his hit to give Royals reliever Scott Barlow (1-0) a cushion. After a perfect eighth, Barlow struck out Myles Straw with runners on first and third to end the ninth.
In a matchup of Cy Young winners, Cleveland ace Shane Bieber and Royals star Zach Greinke squared off to keep the score tied at 1 before the bullpen entered on a frigid day at Kauffman Stadium.
The tie held until the eighth, when Michael Taylor walked Triston McKenzie (0-1) and reached second on Nicky Lopez’s sacrifice bunt. McKenzie struck out Whit Merrifield before Witt, considered baseball’s No. 1 prospect, doubled down the left-field line to put Kansas City ahead for the first time.
Lopez also drove in a run for Kansas City. Jose Ramirez doubled for the Guardians a day after agreeing to a five-year, $124 million deal to stay in Cleveland.
For the Guardians, the Dominicans Amed Rosario 4-1, Ramírez 4-1 with an RBI, Franmil Reyes 4-1. The Venezuelan Andrés Giménez 4-1. The Colombian Óscar Mercado 1-0.
For the Royals, the Venezuelan Salvador Pérez 4-0. The Dominicans Carlos Santana 2-0, Adalberto Mondesi 3-0.
