The KC Royals walked off against their spring training roommate, the Texas Rangers, on Saturday afternoon for their first spring victory. Non-roster invitee Brandon Wood provided the heroics in the 4-2 win.

In the bottom of the 9th inning and the game tied at 2-2, DH Salvador Perez walked (he was 1-for-3 in the game) with one out. In came Anthony Seratelli to run for Perez. He moved to second base on a balk. Brandon Wood stepped to the plate for his second at-bat of the game and took the sixth pitch of the AB over the left-center field wall for the two-run walk off.

The Royals took a 1-0 lead in the 2nd inning on a George Kottaras double play ground out. They tied the game at 2-2 in the 5th inning when Kottaras scored on a Mike Olt fielding error (Jarrod Dyson reached base).

That led to the Wood heroics.

The Royals offense only collected six total hits in the game. The third baseman, Mike Moustakas and Wood, went a combined 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs.

The Rangers put up a two-spot to take the lead in the 3rd inning against Fancisley Bueno. However, after that, they were held scoreless.

Guillermo Moscoso started and pitched two scoreless innings. Veteran Dan Wheeler followed Bueno with a perfect inning of relief. Brian Sanches followed with a scoreless inning, though a caught stealing at the plate helped his cause. Donnie Joseph struck out the side in his one inning of perfect relief. Atahualpa Severino followed with a scoreless inning and Ryan Verdugo worked around two walks to pick up the win.

The two teams play yet again tomorrow afternoon. Luis Mendoza will get the start for the Royals as he tunes up for the World Baseball Classic with Mexico.

*Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star writes about how right fielder Jeff Francoeur uses the criticism he has been receiving as motivation. Dutton also answered fans’ questions on Saturday.