Royals Avoid Sweep with Dramatic Finish Against Yankees
In a thrilling conclusion to their series against the New York Yankees, the Kansas City Royals managed to avoid a four-game sweep with a 4-3 victory, thanks to a game-ending two-run double from Maikel Garcia. The hit came off Yankees closer Clay Holmes, ensuring the Royals captured a much-needed win.
Marsh's Stellar Performance
Rookie pitcher Alec Marsh was nearly untouchable, carrying a no-hit bid into the seventh inning. Marsh eventually surrendered a leadoff single to Juan Soto but swiftly retired the next three batters, wrapping up his 96-pitch outing. "I thought we had a good game plan going in," said Marsh. "Me and [catcher Freddy Fermin] were on the same page all day. I just felt comfortable out there."
Kansas City relied on Marsh's strong performance after struggling in the first three games of the series, where the Yankees had dominated. Unfortunately, the bullpen faced challenges as reliever John Schreiber allowed Anthony Rizzo to hit a home run, narrowing the score to 2-1 and setting the stage for more drama. An error by second baseman Garrett Hampson led to Anthony Volpe's RBI grounder, and Angel Zerpa later surrendered an RBI single to Soto, giving the Yankees a 3-2 lead.
Comeback in the Ninth
Despite the setback, the Royals refused to go quietly. The ninth inning saw Drew Waters hit an infield single against Holmes. Following a fielder's choice, Kyle Isbel singled to bring up Garcia. Garcia then delivered a liner down the left-field line, scoring MJ Melendez and Isbel, turning a one-run deficit into a one-run victory.
James McArthur pitched a scoreless ninth inning to secure the win for Kansas City. The win was especially significant as it helped the Royals snap a four-game losing streak and maintain their second place in the AL Central.
Other Highlights
Nestor Cortes stood out for the Yankees, allowing just two runs over seven innings and lowering his road ERA from 6.17 to 5.57. "I thought Nestor was good," commented Yankees manager Aaron Boone. "It was a good pitchers' duel. His fastball was playing up. He was at 90, 91, 92, but it had something on it. He had a presence on both sides. I thought he did a good job, like Marsh, of mixing things up to give us seven strong innings."
Bobby Witt Jr. continued his impressive form, extending his hitting streak to 14 games with a single in the fourth inning. Witt scored on Vinnie Pasquantino's two-run double, contributing early runs for the Royals. However, the Royals' momentum in the sixth inning was halted when Witt was caught stealing following a pickoff throw by Cortes. The inning ended, leaving the Royals temporarily frustrated.
Royals manager Matt Quatraro found himself ejected for arguing obstruction by Gleyber Torres, adding more drama to an already intense game. Despite the ejection, Quatraro expressed immense pride in his team. "I couldn't be more proud of those guys," he said. "You're down. That's a really good club with an elite closer coming in. The way they hustle, the way they never quit, it's inspiring for me to come to work every day to be around these guys."
Looking Ahead
The Royals hope to build on this victory as they move forward in the season. This win is a crucial morale booster and a testament to their resilience, as evidenced by their late-inning heroics. Rookie Alec Marsh’s performance serves as an encouraging sign for the future, and the contributions from players like Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel Garcia are promising.
Meanwhile, the Yankees need to regroup and address their missed opportunities. With Nestor Cortes putting in a strong showing and other players like Anthony Rizzo and Juan Soto contributing offensively, the Yankees have the talent. However, maintaining focus and avoiding critical errors will be essential as they aim to bounce back from this loss.
As both teams look to improve, fans can expect more exciting baseball in the coming weeks. For now, this game stands as a memorable chapter in what has already been an intriguing season.