KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ Mike Moustakas strolled through the Royals' locker room prior to their matchup with the White Sox Saturday night, and announced a "national holiday."
"It's Jason Vargas Launch Day!" he called out. "You're all witnesses."
It may not have been a national holiday, but it was, indeed, the relaunch of Vargas' career.
After last season's Tommy John surgery put a yearlong dent in his career, the left-handed pitcher made his first major league start in 423 days on Saturday. Against the Chicago White Sox (72-76), he threw the first three innings, allowing two hits and one run, walking one and striking out one, on the way to Kansas City's 3-2 win, a victory that ended a five-game losing streak.
Vargas started off shaky, allowing a hit to the second batter he faced, and the second hit a couple of batters later. The White Sox scored off a Tim Anderson run, batted in by Melky Cabrera in the top of the first. But Vargas, who was restricted to a three-inning/45-pitch outing, settled down and retired his first three batters in the second.
Vargas, manager Ned Yost said before the game, is someone he hopes can be a "big part of our rotation next year." That preparation started Saturday.
It was a night where focus began to perceptibly shift (if it hadn't already) to next season. Before Saturday's win, Kansas City had opened the most recent homestand on a five-game losing streak, and fallen seven games out of the last American League wild-card spot. Even with the victory, the gap between the Royals' record (75-73) and the postseason red line was still daunting, with 14 regular-season games remaining.
So, the Royals looked forward _ first with Vargas, then in the batting lineup.
The game had been locked in a 1-1 tie for three and a half innings before another potential piece of the Royals' future stepped up. Hunter Dozier, who recorded his first career hit on Thursday and his first career start Friday, got another one of each.
Moments after Alcides Escobar stretched a hit to the far right corner of Kauffman Stadium into a triple, Dozier sent his own single to the opposite side. His hit to left field brought Escobar around for the Royals' 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Dozier himself scored to make it 3-1 after Eric Hosmer poked a single through the middle of the infield.
Meanwhile, Dillon Gee was finishing off the White Sox with a solid outing of his own, allowing five hits and one run in 41/3 innings pitched.
That run actually came with Joakim Soria physically on the mound, though. Soria had trotted out in the top of the eighth, with two on and one out, as a round of booing ensued from the Kauffman Stadium crowd. He escaped the eighth inning with only Abreu scoring off an Avisail Garcia RBI to make it 3-2.
Wade Davis _ entering to a much friendlier reception by the home crowd _ pitched the ninth and struck out all three batters he faced to seal the win.
