Witt Jr hits 1st MLB homer, leads Keller, Royals over Cards

Bobby Witt Jr. hit his first major league home run, Brad Keller pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning and the Kansas City Royals defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 7-1 Tuesday night to end a four-game losing streak.

Witt had two hits, two RBI and scored twice. MJ Melendez got a hit in his big league debut and Edward Olivares had a career-high four of the Royals’ 15 hits.

Keller (1-2) permitted four hits in 6 1/3 innings, walked three and struck out two. He permitted a baserunner in every inning but sixth, but never more than one until the seventh.

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Witt extended his hitting streak to 11 matches with his solo home run in the second inning off Dakota Hudson (2-2). The prized rookie launched a 0-1 changeup from Hudson 417 feet into the bleachers in left center.

Witt came up in the fourth with no outs and runners on the corners and grounded into a double play that scored a run.

Hudson left after issuing a leadoff walk in the seventh to Nicky Lopez with the Royals ahead 2-0. Olivares hit an RBI trouble and Andrew Benintendi, Whit Merrifield, Witt and Michael Taylor also had RBI in the inning.

The Cards got a run in the eighth on Tyler O’Neill’s single.

The Cardinals and Royals will conclude their two-game series Wednesday wth an afternoon contest. The game was initially scheduled for a 6:10 p.m. start, but the weather forecast led to the change. The Cardinals will send RHP Adam Wainwright (2-3, 4.00 ERA) to the mound. The Royals will counter with LHP Kris Bubic (0-2, 10.50 ERA).

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