OAKLAND, Calif. _ One rookie won a fan $25,000. The other could be the solution to the hole at the back end of the rotation.
In a 6-2 victory Monday night at Oakland Coliseum, the Kansas City Royals rode the combination of catcher Cam Gallagher and starting pitcher Jakob Junis. Gallagher yanked a grand slam down the left-field line in the top of the sixth inning, activating the top prize in the club's Sonic Slam promotion. Junis allowed just two runs in six innings, backing up a spectacular performance in his last appearance.
For the second time in six days, Gallagher crouched behind the plate while Junis was on the mound. The chemistry of the former minor-league teammates was present and potent as the Royals (60-58) claimed their third straight victory.
On Aug. 6, Junis tossed eight innings, allowing just one run in a victory over the Seattle Mariners. On that day, Gallagher notched his first career major-league hit. On Monday in Oakland, the sequel was even better.
Junis, who was replacing the injured Trevor Cahill in the rotation, scattered four hits across six innings, utilizing just 83 pitches to safely navigate the A's lineup.
Gallagher offered one of the most unlikely and thrilling moments of this wild 2017 season. In the top of the sixth inning, he dug in at the plate with the bases loaded and the Royals leading 2-1. He peered out at Oakland starter Jharel Cotton and cradled his bat in his hands. Gallagher took three straight pitches as the count went to 3-0.
Moments later, Cotton battled back to 3-2 after throwing one fastball for a strike and using another to induce a foul ball. On the sixth pitch of the at-bat, Cotton hurled a fastball toward the inner half of the plate. Gallagher turned on the pitch and drove it down the line, just 10 feet inside the left-field pole.
The baseball landed among the empty seats at the Oakland Coliseum, 347 feet from home plate. Gallagher trotted around the bases as a collection of Royals fans came to their feet, their voices echoing around the stadium.
Gallagher joined former Royals catcher Paul Phillips as the only players in franchise history to hit a grand slam for their first career homer. His timing was impeccable. The blast earned $25,000 for a man named Tim Brown, the night's contestant in the Sonic Slam contest.
Gallagher finished the night 2 for 3 with four RBIs. Shortstop Alcides Escobar maintained a momentary hot stretch, collecting another two hits.
The Royals finished the night a half game back of the second American League Wild Card spot. They trailed only the idle Los Angeles Angels (61-58) while pulling even with the Minnesota Twins (59-57), who were also off Monday. The Royals remained five games behind the first-place Cleveland Indians.
