Everything Said in Royals Clubhouse After Historic Home Run Binge

BALTIMORE — Coming into Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles, there were questions about exactly when the Kansas City Royals’ offense would break out of its slow start to the season.

The answer came in a stunning and historic way inside Camden Yards.

The Royals blasted a franchise-record seven home runs on Sunday, including six solo shots, as Kansas City posted an 11-6 win to finish off a 5-1 road trip through American League East competition (Baltimore and Tampa Bay).

Those seven home runs represented almost half of the 15 homers the Royals had hit before they came to Baltimore for a three-game weekend series.

After hitting 15 in the 32 games prior to facing the Orioles, Kansas City slugged 10 in Charm City, giving the Royals plenty of good vibes heading back to Kauffman Stadium to start a four-game series against the Chicago White Sox on Monday.

Michael Massey’s ninth-inning two-run shot put the finishing touches on Kansas City’s power surge and was his first long ball of the season.

Two other Royals hit their first homers of the season on Sunday, including Jonathan India, acquired in an offseason trade with the Cincinnati Reds, and Luke Maile, added to the roster on Friday as insurance with a sore left hip slowing down Salvador Perez.

The home run barrage had plenty of good vibes flowing through the Royals’ clubhouse as the team packed to go home. Here’s what Kansas City’s manager and home run hitters said about the day and what it means for the team moving forward.

Royals manager Matt Quatraro

On his view of the historic day:

“It was pretty remarkable, and good for them. We’ve made so much out of how we’ve struggled offensively, and we keep talking about we’ll break out of it. The guys continue to work and believe and trust each other and trust the hitting guys, and a day like that is really satisfying and they should be rewarded for it.

“The first thing I saw when the game started is the wind was blowing out to left center. They had brought the fences in there from last year, so it’s a hitter’s park. We know that, but still, both teams squaring balls up like that, it was a fun game in some respects and, in other respects, it was very nerve-wracking.”

Jonathan India (2-for-5, one home run)

On hitting his first home run of the season:

“It felt great. I mean, it was a tough pitch, and I just stayed through and hit a good line drive. Thank God they have a short fence out there. I thought it was just a ball in the gap, but it felt great. I put a good swing on a good pitch.”

On Kansas City’s team approach at the plate:

“Everyone was on today. We wanted the series win that bad. We all had our pitcher’s back today, and came through in the clutch.

“We’re just all good vibes. We all know we have each other’s backs, and the bottom line is we wanted to win and we did. We just kept passing the bat along, and that was it.”

On the offense being able to bail out starter Michael Lorenzen, who surrendered four homers as a part of five runs and seven hits given up in 4.2 innings:

“It was huge. We finally got our chance to pick someone up, and we did our job. That’s going to be big for the offense going forward for sure.”

On what Maikel Garcia, who had two home runs on the day and is now batting .319 on the season, has meant to the Royals:

“He’s the hottest hitter I’ve ever seen right now. God bless him. Keep going. He works hard so and he’s hell of a player and a selfless player. That last at-bat, he just says, ‘I’m going to hit a grounder to second base and move the guy over,’ and that’s what he did. That goes unnoticed, but we all saw that.”

Bobby Witt Jr. (2-for-5, one home run)

On what Maikel Garcia has meant to the Royals:

“It’s been amazing. It’s just a spark that we have, the spark that we needed. It’s just the way he takes at-bats, the way he handles himself, not only on the big hits, but also like on his last at-bat, he gives himself up, gets the guy over and we get an extra run. Like those little things, he plays the game the right way and plays the game hard.”

On how it felt in the dugout during the home run barrage:

“It’s like there’s a fight at the bat rack, so everyone wants to get up there. Everyone wants to go up there and get in that at-bat. Those are the games that you need. Those are the things that kind of sparks the lineup, gets things going and gives guys confidence. The sky’s the limit from there.”

On the offense leading the charge to end a 5-1 road trip:

“It’s great. We knew what we could do. We knew we were able to do that. There are some tough times and some tough games, so it’s just kind of getting back to playing our Royals baseball. We’re going to keep doing that.”

Maikel Garcia (3-for-5, two home runs)

On Jonathan India calling him the hottest hitter he’s seen:

“I think I’m seeing the ball good and swinging at good pitches right now. I’m making decisions when I go to the plate and I’m hitting the ball hard.”

On the vibes inside the Royals dugout on a seven-homer day:

“That’s fun for us, to go out and play hard and hit seven home runs for the first time in franchise history. That’s good for us. We just want to continue to work and keep playing the way we are playing.”

On hitting two home runs:

“I know I hit two homers, but that’s not my game. My game is moving runners around the bases, move the guy so the guy behind me can bring the run in. That’s perfect for the team.”

Michael Massey (1-for-5, one home run)

On hitting his first homer of the season:

“Yeah, obviously it’s been a bit of a struggle, so to get one and have that lifted off your shoulders feels good.

“It’s our livelihood. You come here every day and you’re here eight to 10 hours a day and you put a lot of work in. To sometimes not get results is tough, and to see them out there today was good.”

On how Sunday’s game can help the Royals at the plate moving forward:

“April was a bit of a grind for us, and the pitchers picked us up. Baseball is a game of momentum and just being able to get guys on base and play with confidence is hopefully something we can carry back for the homestand.”