Texas Rangers vs Kansas City Royals Match Player Stats On Apr 01, 2021

Michael A. Taylor made his Royals debut with three hits and three RBIs as Kansas City defeated the visiting Texas Rangers 14-10 Thursday on Opening Day.

Taylor also threw out two runners at the plate.

The Royals set a club record for most runs on opening day, clipping their previous high of 11 in 1979.

Carlos Hernandez (1-0) picked up the win for KC, the first of his career. Kyle Cody (0-1) took the loss for Texas. Wade Davis picked up the save.

Both starting pitchers labored from the start, drawing action in the bullpen in the first inning as both teams scored five times in the opening frame. Texas' Kyle Gibson didn't make it out of the first. KC's Brad Keller got just one out in the second before being removed.

The Rangers struck first. Isiah Kiner-Falefa and David Dahl reached on doubles. After a walk to Joey Gallo, Nick Solak's infield hit scored one. Then Nate Lowe doubled to the opposite field, clearing the bases. Lowe scored on an RBI single by Eli White.

The Rangers became only the second team since 1961 to open a season with six hits in their first six at-bats (1995 Braves), according to Elias Sports Bureau.

It could have been worse for Keller. Andrew Benintendi leaped against the wall in foul territory to get the first out. Then Taylor threw out Brock Holt at home for the second out of the first inning.

The Royals got to Gibson quickly in the bottom of the first. Whit Merrifield and Benintendi singled to open the inning, followed by walks to Carlos Santana, Salvador Perez and Jorge Soler. With one out, Kyle Isbel and Taylor singled in runs. Nicky Lopez drove in the tying run with a sacrifice fly.

Lowe's single drove in Dahl in the second, sending Keller to the showers. The Rangers got two more in the third, but Taylor threw out Dahl at the plate for his second outfield assist.

Taylor hammered his first home run to right center in the home third. Santana drove in Lopez with a single. The Royals added three more in the fourth. Soler tied it with a 435-foot homer and Taylor and Merrifield added RBIs.

The Rangers drew within a run on an infield hit by White in the sixth.

The Royals added three more in the seventh on two walks, two hit-batters and one hit. Merrifield's leadoff homer in the eighth provided the final KC run. The Rangers got an unearned run in the ninth.

--Field Level Media