Cole Ragans Strikes Out 10 in Royals' Win Over Guardians

Cole Ragans secured his first win of the season by pitching 7.2 innings against the Cleveland Guardians, allowing two runs (one earned) and striking out 10 batters. Despite experiencing a left hamstring cramp, Ragans dominated the game, retiring 18 of the last 19 batters he faced and achieving a 2.28 ERA with a remarkable 34:4 K:BB ratio over four starts. The Royals rallied with a two-run homer from Salvador Perez and a two-run double from Maikel Garcia, leading to a 4-2 victory. Ragans noted he didn't want to push through the hamstring issue and was supported by manager Matt Quatraro's decision to relieve him in the eighth inning. With this performance, Ragans became only the second Royals pitcher to strike out 10 or more batters in three consecutive starts. He is expected to take the mound again on Friday in Detroit.