Los Angeles Angels at Kansas City Royals

Once Bobby Witt Jr. swung through the splitter that Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi threw him in the fourth inning on Friday night, Witt went into battle mode with two strikes. Witt fouled off a fastball at the top of the zone, followed by another splitter above the zone that Kikuchi wanted him to swing through again. Kikuchi moved the sights down with a fastball that Witt fouled off again, and then, Kikuchi threw the mistake pitch Witt was hunting: A cutter down and in that Witt crushed out to the left-center gap for a leadoff double. “Trying to fight those off to stay in the at-bat,” Witt said. “I’m always going to be a guy who swings. So not taking that away from myself, but then also being able to foul off a pitch that’s probably a little bit out of the zone, just to be able to get back in the zone for that mistake pitch.” It was the Royals’ first hit of the night and got it all started in what would be a five-run fourth inning and a 6-3 series-opening win over the Angels at Kauffman Stadium. But more than anything, it embodied what the Royals have been trying to instill in their hitters trying to break through a season-opening slump. “That’s huge,” left fielder Isaac Collins said. “That’s our identity. Can’t give a single pitch away. Whether you’re down in the count or not, you got to battle. Great start to the inning. That’s how our offense needs to be, one through nine.”