Royals Edge Yankees in a Nail-Biter to Avoid Sweep
Maikel Garcia's game-ending double delivered a dramatic finish as the Kansas City Royals narrowly edged out the New York Yankees 4-3. Garcia's clutch hit off Yankees closer Clay Holmes secured the victory, helping the Royals evade a four-game sweep.
Marsh's Impressive Outing
Rookie pitcher Alec Marsh was one of the day's standout performers, carrying a no-hit bid into the seventh inning. The Yankees, who had dominated the first three games of the series, finally broke Marsh's spell with a leadoff single by Juan Soto in the seventh. Despite this, Marsh managed to retire the next three batters, wrapping up his 96-pitch outing on a high note.
"I thought we had a good game plan going in," Marsh said, praising his synergy with catcher Freddy Fermin. "Me and [catcher Freddy Fermin] were on the same page all day. I just felt comfortable out there."
Yankees' Comeback and Royals' Resilience
The Yankees attempted a comeback against Royals reliever John Schreiber in the eighth inning. Anthony Rizzo brought New York within one run with a homer, while a critical error by second baseman Garrett Hampson set the stage for Anthony Volpe's RBI grounder. The Yankees took a 3-2 lead after Angel Zerpa surrendered an RBI single to Soto, making the game a tense affair.
However, the Royals were not to be denied. Drew Waters hit an infield single in the ninth inning against Holmes. Following a fielder's choice, Kyle Isbel singled to bring up Garcia, who delivered a liner down the left-field line. This crucial hit scored MJ Melendez and Isbel, sealing the win for Kansas City.
"I couldn't be more proud of those guys," said Royals manager Matt Quatraro. "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."
James McArthur secured the win for Kansas City by pitching a scoreless ninth inning, putting an end to their worrisome four-game losing streak.
Key Performances and Managerial Moments
Nestor Cortes also had a notable performance, allowing just two runs over seven innings. The Yankees pitcher lowered his road ERA to 5.57 from 6.17.
"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."
Bobby Witt Jr. continued his hot streak, extending his hitting streak to 14 games with a single in the fourth inning. Witt also scored on Vinnie Pasquantino's two-run double. However, the Royals' threat in the sixth inning was cut short when Witt was caught stealing following a pickoff throw by Cortes.
Adding to the drama, Royals manager Matt Quatraro was ejected for arguing obstruction by Gleyber Torres. "Quatraro told me he didn't even know I had a no-hitter going," Marsh revealed. "I responded, 'Don't get tossed next time.’"
Outlook for Both Teams
With this victory, the Royals hold second place in the AL Central and hope to build on this win to improve their season further. The Yankees, on the other hand, need to regroup after losing this close contest.
Both teams had their moments in what turned out to be a thrilling game full of twists and turns, evoking the true spirit of Major League Baseball.