Royals Defeat Orioles 1-0 in Wild Card

In a thrilling playoff debut, Bobby Witt Jr. propelled the Kansas City Royals to a 1-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in the first game of the AL Wild Card Series. Witt's decisive hit came in the sixth inning, driving in Maikel Garcia, who had advanced to third after a walk and a stolen base. Starting pitcher Cole Ragans excelled with six scoreless innings, striking out eight before leaving the game due to cramping, while the Royals' bullpen effectively secured the win. This marks the Royals' return to the postseason after a nine-year absence, following a significant improvement from last season's 106 losses. The Royals aim to close out the series in Game 2, led by All-Star Seth Lugo, against the Orioles, who are struggling with a nine-game postseason losing streak dating back to 2014.