Game 2 at Kauffman

After our afternoon trips to the Negro League Baseball Museum, Jazz Museum and Arthur Bryant's, our stomachs were full and we were ready for more baseball.  We again took the short trip from our hotel to "The K."  We parked in a different lot this time and decided to tailgate for about an hour before heading in.  After we ate our sandwiches and chips, played our catch, and observed the Kansas City fans, we headed back into the ballpark for the game between starting pitchers Andre Rienzo for the White Sox and Yordano Ventura of the Royals.  We thought we were possibly in for more of a pitching matchup as both were among the most consistently good pitchers for each team so far in the young season.  Both teams were playing near .500 baseball and were trying to improve and gain ground in the Central Division, with which the Tigers had a mounting lead.  We arrived in our seats in the lower deck on the third base line, only a few rows behind the field.

The game started off quickly as the White Sox got a run in the top of the first off a Dayan Viciedo single.  Ventura's days was rough as after the Royals took a 2-1 lead in the 2nd, the White Sox added three more runs in the 5th inning to take a 4-2 lead.  Venura was pulled soon after.  The White Sox got what looked like some insurance runs after a 3 run home run by Adam Dunn in the top of the 8th to make the score 7-2.

In the crowd, there was a lot of passion for the home town Royals, but overall, it did not seem like they were by large big baseball fans, they were just supporting where they are from.  There was a lot of drunkenness around us and many fans seemed eager to talk trash to White Sox fans in their area.  Most of the fans left in the top of the 8th inning after Adam Dunn's homer.

The Royals did their part to try and make fans regret leaving early as after a few hits, the Royals scored 3 in the bottom of the 8th to make the score 7-5.  For the second straight night, however, Ronald Belisario was able to thwart the Royals attack in the 9th, despite allowing a run, to make the final 7-6 in favor of the White Sox.

Until later,
Ryan Adolfson