The Royals took a big step in keeping their playoff hopes alive Sunday, splitting a doubleheader with the always-tough Doinks and Dingers.

Game 1 saw rookie Sergio Renteria take the mound, but he was greeted rudely by the DD hitters.  After 7 batters and no outs, the Royals turned to Mike Miller trailing 5-0.  Miller worked out of a first and third jam without allowing a run (thanks in part to a great backpick by catcher Oliver Lopez.)  Miller would go on to throw 4 solid innings, allowing 3 earned runs on 3 hits and 2 walks, striking out 3.  Fresh off the DL, Andrew Miller relieved and pitched an inning (3 earned, 4 hits, 1 strikeout), and Alex Uy made his PCBL pitching debut with an inning of 0-run relief, striking out 1.

Unfortunately, the Royals offense couldn't put together much in game 1, scoring just 4 runs in the loss.  Oliver Lopez led the way with 2 hits and 2 runs scored, while Michael Citro (2 hits, 2 rbis) and Nick Perez (2 hits, 1 rbi) both contributed.  New Royal Melly King picked up his first career hit, but strained a hammy late, extending the curse of Poly High School.  Defensively, the team was led by Alex Uy (multiple incredible plays) and Taj Stansberry (with a Sportscenter diving catch on a sinking line drive in the hole at second.)

Game 2 was a see-saw battle that saw both teams play at a high level.  Kyle Tanaka took the bump for the Royals and worked 5 fantastic innings, allowing 3 runs (2 earned) on 3 hits and 3 walks while notching 2 strikeouts.  Gabe Sgambati relieved in the 6th with the Royals up 4-3.  The Doinks greeted him with a run in the inning, but he pitched a quiet 7th before a dropped strike 3 paired with an errant throw gave the Doinks a 5-4 lead halfway thru the 8th.  But the Royals would come back with 3 clutch runs in the bottom of the frame, and Sgambati pitched a perfect 9th to drive the boys in columbia blue to victory!  All told, Sgambati went 4 innings, allowing 2 runs (1 earned) on 3 hits and 1 walk while striking out 3 to collect his first PCBL win.

On offense, Mike Miller continued his late season hot streak, going 3 for 3 with 1 run and a sac bunt.  Jake Romo had 2 hits, including a dramatic game-tying double in the 8th, scoring twice and knocking in 1.  Nick Perez led the team with 3 rbis.

In control of their own playoff destiny, the Royals play 2 more games next weekend against the Orioles, finishing their opening day game (suspended due to medical issues with an umpire), and then playing their normally-scheduled game immediately following.  The fun starts at 9am at College of the Canyons.  With numerous paths to the postseason (including a few messy scenarios that could end up with California tiebreaker play-in), the Royals have got themselves some exciting November baseball on the calendar!

The Royals' bats were more quiet than usual as the boys in columbia blue only notched 3 hits against a short-staffed Soldiers team.  The Soldiers had no such problems, running away with the game 16-6 before the lights turned off on the Royals in the bottom of the 8th (both figuratively and literally.)

On the mound, Kyle Tanaka took the hill, but between the Soldiers' bats and the Royals' defense (or lack thereof), things didn't go according to plan.  10 runs (5 earned) on 9 hits over 5 innings left the Royals in a hole.  Sergio Renteria, making his PCBL debut, pitched a solid inning of relief, walking one but picking him off first shortly after, allowing only 1 earned over 1+ inning.  Mike Miller took on mop up duties, allowing 5 runs (3 earned) over the final 2 frames - picking up a nice knot on his shin in the process courtesy of a rocket up the middle.

At the plate, there wasn't a lot to talk about.  The Soldiers were consistently inconsistent, lulling the Royals to sleep with 11 walks.  Miller continued his hot hitting with a single and a walk, scoring once.  Taj Stansberry singled (first career PCBL hit) and knocked in a run, Renteria singled (first career PCBL hit), knocked in 2, stole a base and scored once, and Daniel Gutierrez walked 3 times, stole 2 bases and scored once.

Still sitting just half a game out of a playoff spot with 4 games to go, the Royals get a much-needed bye this weekend.  Coming back on October 26th, the Doinks and Dingers come to town for a double dip, 8:30am and 11:45am at Poly High School.

The Royals, already down 2 players to injuries, lost 2 more for the majority of the season on Sunday, as the Bats took advantage of the Royals' defensive struggles to win 16-7.

Mike Miller took the hill for his first start of the season and threw well - allowing only 1 earned run on 3 hits and 2 walks over 3 innings.  Unfortunately, misfortune would lead to 6 additional unearned runs (more on that shortly.)  Jake Romo came in to relieve, and followed with more of the same - 2.2 innings of 0 earned run ball, but the misfortune followed him to the tune of 7 more unearned runs.  Gabe Sgambati finished things off, working 1.1 innings of 0 earned run ball, but an error would also lead to an unearned run for him.  Overall, the Royals allowed 1 earned run and 15 unearned runs in a sloppy game.

Gio Smith left the game in the first inning after diving for a fly ball down the left field line and catching it with his face, and while Zeke Guzman tried to tough it out, a foot injury on a swing in the first inning will cost him the remainder of the season, plus likely some time next spring.  It was a rough day to be wearing Columbia blue.

Offensively, Miller led the way, going 2 for 2 with a walk, scoring twice and knocking in 1.  He's now reached safely in 8 straight plate appearances.  Fill-in Josh Holmes had 2 hits and 2 rbis.  Nick Perez stole the only base for the Royals.

Next week, the Royals face off with the Soldiers in a rare 7pm game under the lights at Dunsmore Park.

The Royals offense continue to improve, as they took a 9-run lead into the bottom of the 6th.  But the wheels would fall off, and the Doinks scored 12 unanswered runs to take a 16-13 victory.

Kyle Tanaka had his best start of the season, going 5 innings allowing 4 runs (3 earned) on 6 hits.  Jake Romo struggled with his control over the next 1+ inning, giving up 11 runs (7 earned) on 5 hits, 3 walks and 3 hit batsmen.  Mike Miller closed things out with his signature "heat", throwing the final 2 innings without allowing a hit.

At the plate, every Royal starter had at least one hit except Mike Miller - who came up 5 times and recorded 5 walks - a Royals single-game record!  Alex Uy, while playing stellar defense at shortstop, led the offense going 4 for 6, while Oliver Lopez knocked in 3 and Miller scored 3 times.  Designated runner Andrew Miller stole 4 bases, and made a diving catch in center to keep the game close in the 8th.  Gabe Sgambati had a 3-hit game as well in the loss.

Next week, the surging Royals face off with the Bats - time and location still TBD.

The Royals hot start was cooled off as the Thresher's pitchers struck out 16 in Sunday's game.

In the field, the Royals continued to show strength with their pitching.  4 pitchers combined to allow 1 earned run, allowing 7 hits and 11 walks.  If not for a few fielding mistakes, this could have been a much closer game.  Jake Romo had the best day on the hill, striking out 5 in 3.1 innings, allowing only 1 hit.  Eric Addis closed things out with 2 scoreless frames.

At the plate, the Royals just couldn't get anything going.  Gabe Sherman had both the best day and the worst day at the plate, walking twice and being hit by a pitch, however that hit by pitch fractured his wrist and knocked him out for the next 4-6 weeks.  Zeke Guzman had a walk and a hit by pitch and was the only other Royal to reach base more than once.  As a team, the Royals only had 5 hits (and everyone but Sherman struck out at least once.)

Quickly putting this game behind them, the Royals look forward to starting a new winning streak Sunday against the Doinks and Dingers, 10am at El Cariso Park.

The Royals spent the offseason working on improving their defense and hitting, and both were on full display in their 9-5 victory over the Soldiers.  Several players had huge days in the field, and a big 2nd inning provided all the offense they'd need to get their first victory of the season.

Kyle Tanaka started on the bump and turned in a solid 4 innings, allowing 2 runs (0 earned) on 4 hits.  Jake Romo came in to relieve, vulturing the win with 3.2 innings and 5 strikeouts.  He allowed 2 runs in the 8th, leaving with the bases loaded, but Gabe Sherman locked down the victory allowing only 1 earned over the final 1.1 innings.

At the plate, Romo led the way with a pair of doubles, 2 runs scored and an rbi.  Alex Uy and Daniel Gutierrez both had a pair of hits and a pair of runs scored as well.  For Gutierrez, those were his first 2 hits as a Royal!  Eric Addis and Michael Citro each knocked in a pair in the victory.

On defense, almost every Royal contributed.  Led on the left side by Andrew Miller (2 runners caught stealing, another picked off, and several other solid plays) and Alex Uy (double play and a running catch in shallow left to end the game), the right side also had its share of hot plays (Mike Miller's scoop on the aforementioned double play, Daniel Gutierrez' diving stop down the line followed by a clean throw to first.)  Behind the plate, both catchers threw a runner out (Gutierrez and Addis), and Addis added a 2-1-5 back pick for good measure.  Rookie Gabe Sgambati also got in on the fun, running down a few line drives in left to squash some rallies.

This was one of the best games the Royals have played since coming back into the league in 2024, and they look to keep the momentum going next week as they face the Threshers at 10am at College of the Canyons.

What started as a new rivalry finished without anyone caring what the final score was.  The Royals and Orioles battled in a seesaw game, but the heat impacted multiple players and an umpire, leading to the game ending after only 4 1/2 innings and emergency services called.  Thankfully, after a scary 60 minutes and the help of paramedics, fire personnel and a doctor (who plays in the league), everyone walked away from the field alive.

In the game, Kyle Tanaka took the hill for the Royals and was rudely greeted by the Orioles.  After 5 quick hits, the Royals trailed 4-0 before they even got to bat.  Tanaka settled down and worked 2 quiet innings before handing the ball off to rookie Gabe Sgambati.  The Orioles weren't any nicer to the rookie, scoring the first 2 batter he faced.  In his second inning, they did the same, then loaded the bases with no outs, but Sgambati struck out a pair and got out without further damage.

At the plate, the Royals scored 2 in the 3rd and 5 in the 4th, led by 2025 All Star Eric Addis, who went 3 for 3 with an rbi and a pair of runs scored.  Zeke Guzman had 2 hits, Gabe Sgambati got his first hit (and run scored and 2 rbis) as a Royal, and Andrew Miller swiped a pair of bags.

With the game very much up in the air and multiple people requiring actual medical attention, the two teams agreed to call it a tie.  In the end, the results and the stats feel rather insignificant - what matters is that the guys we come to play with (and have officiate us) every week will be out there again next week.  Both teams showed enormous character in the face of ACTUAL adversity, supporting each other without hesitation in a real life situation none of us ever imagined we'd be in.  It makes me incredibly proud to be part of this league.

Next week, the Royals face the Soldiers at 10am at El Cariso Park.

Even with a 1-16-1 record, the Spring 2025 Royals made strides over their 0-17 Spring 2024 record.  The pitching staff was much improved, with rookie Kyle Tanaka taking home the Cy Young and leading the team in innings (35) and strikeouts (35).  Gabe Sherman led in ERA (6.43), and Andrew Miller led with the lowest batting average against (.246).  On offense, Jake Romo's big final weekend secured him the team MVP, while also leading in RBIs (14) and stolen bases (14.)  Romo and Zeke Guzman tied for the lead in home runs (2), while Guzman also led in runs scored (13).  Michael Citro led in hits (16), Eric Addis led in slugging (.652) and Luis Valencia won the batting title (.419).

The Royals will be back in the fall with a handful of new faces joining a solid core, looking to get back into the postseason.

While the Bats may have swept the final doubleheader of the season, the Royals ended on a high note, hitting 5 home runs on the day and scoring a combined 15 runs on 26 hits.

Game 1 was much like the first meeting between the 2 teams, with the Royals holding the lead into the 7th inning before the Bats league-leading offense came through.  Kyle Tanaka pitched 5 innings, allowing 5 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks, striking out 3.  Jake Romo pitched a perfect 6th before the Bats hit around in the 7th.  In total, he allowed 9 earned over 3 innings on 10 hits and 4 walks, striking out 1.  Offensively, Zeke Guzman led the way with 3 hits and 4 rbis, including 2 home runs from the left side (he's normally a right-handed batter.)  Mike Miller also had 3 hits, while both Michael Citro and Jake Romo hit home runs in the loss.

Game 2 started sloppy on defense.  Mike Miller took the hill and went 3 innings, allowing only 1 earned (but 6 total runs) on 6 hits and 1 walk, striking out 1.  Rookie hurler Luc Bassi came in next and looked great for not playing organized ball in a decade.  He went 4 innings, allowing 9 earned on 8 hits and 7 walks (many on full counts), striking out 1.  Veteran Luis Valencia finished the last inning, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits and 1 strikeout.  Offensively, it was Jake Romo's game.  He went 2 for 3 with a double and a grand slam, knocking in 6 runs.  Miller, Guzman, Citro and Valencia each had 2 hits in the loss.

Next weekend, the Royals are proud to send Eric Addis and Oliver Lopez to represent them at the AA All Star Game.  Congrats guys