Sam Kulasingam had already built a reputation this season at Double-A Northwest Arkansas as a hitter who keeps the line moving. On Sunday, he did a whole lot more than that.
The Royals prospect exploded for six hits, launched two homers and drove in eight runs in the Naturals’ 24-4 rout of Arkansas at Dickey-Stephens Park. It was the kind of box score that jumps off the page immediately: a career day by any measure, and one that doubled as a personal breakthrough.
For Kulasingam, it was his first multihomer game as a pro and the first time he had ever posted more than three hits or more than three RBIs in a professional game. Even back at Air Force, where he played college ball, his best single-game output was five hits as a sophomore.
The 2024 13th-round pick has been piling up quality at-bats all year, with 28 multihit games and a .376 on-base percentage that ranks 12th in the Texas League. But Sunday was a different kind of eruption.
He started by shooting a pair of singles the other way against Mariners right-hander Jason Ruffcorn, one in the first inning and another in the second, before Northwest Arkansas went after the Travelers’ bullpen. Then the power showed up.
In his third trip, the switch-hitter jumped on the first pitch from Mariners right-hander Ty Cummings and sent a homer to right field. Cummings got him the next time, but Kulasingam wasn’t done. In the sixth, he ambushed right-hander Adam Smith and drove another ball to nearly the same spot in right.
Kulasingam finished with two more singles, one lined to left off righty Tyler Cleveland and another to right after starting shortstop Josh Hood took the mound in the ninth.
In Other News...
Royals Suddenly Have A Jac Caglianone Concern They Can't Ignore
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The Royals now have to sort out what his elbow soreness means for the next stretch, with Randy Dobnak lined up to start the next game and Toronto still to announce its starter. Even in a one-run loss, these are the moments that can shift a teams immediate plans, especially when a young player leaves early and the training staff suddenly becomes part of the story. [Read more 🡒]
Craig Kimbrels Royals Exit Was More Alarming Than It First Looked
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The weather did not offer much relief, with first-pitch conditions sitting at 97 degrees and about 50 percent humidity. Kimbrel had recorded only two outs before leaving, and the odd sight of a veteran reliever exiting so abruptly raised the kind of concern that goes beyond one bad inning, even on a night when the Royals handled the Marlins comfortably. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Fans Have Every Right To Be Frustrated After This Loss
The Royals had spent a lot of time lately enjoying the matchup with Toronto, but Mondays 4-3 loss in Kansas City was a reminder that the Blue Jays can still turn a game on a few sharp swings and a few costly mistakes. Seth Lugo ran into trouble early, the defense gave away too much, and Kansas City could never quite settle the game down even after the scoreboard started to tighten.
Kazuma Okamoto was a constant problem throughout the night, putting together a big four-hit performance and helping fuel the Blue Jays rallies whenever the Royals looked ready to answer back. For a club that had ridden a five-series winning streak in this matchup, the frustrating part was familiar enough: the chances were there, the game was there, and the little breakdowns kept adding up in the wrong places. [Read more 🡒]