The Royals came into tonight without Seth Lugo or Bobby Witt Jr. available to play. Instead, Stephen Kolek made the start. Maikel Garcia shifted over to shortstop, and Nick Loftin started at third base. Joe Ryan, the Royals’ arch-nemesis, was the Twins starter.

So, naturally, the Royals played one of their most complete games of the season.

Let’s start with tonight’s starter, Kolek. He still gave up a bunch of hard-hit outs with an average exit velocity of over 90 MPH. He still didn’t get many strikeouts, four in seven innings. But he did pitch seven innings. And he only allowed six hits and one walk. Things looked like they might get scary in the top of the third inning as he allowed a double to nine-hole hitter James Outman, who now has a .487 OPS, and then a triple to Byron Buxton. Bu

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