Royals Rally to Edge Yankees 4-3, Avoid Sweep
Maikel Garcia delivered a game-ending two-run double off Yankees closer Clay Holmes, enabling the Kansas City Royals to edge out New York 4-3 and avoid a four-game sweep. The Royals, holding second place in the AL Central, snapped their four-game losing streak with this thrilling victory.
Outstanding Pitching Duel
Rookie pitcher Alec Marsh carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning against the Yankees. "I thought we had a good game plan going in," Marsh said. "Me and [catcher Freddy Fermin] were on the same page all day." Marsh allowed a leadoff single to Juan Soto in the seventh, ending his no-hit attempt. Despite this, he retired the next three batters to wrap up his 96-pitch outing.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone praised the pitching on both sides. "I thought Nestor was good," Boone commented. "It was a good pitchers' duel. His fastball was playing up. He was at 90, 91, 92, but it had something on it." Nestor Cortes allowed two runs over seven innings, lowering his road ERA to 5.57 from 6.17.
Yankees' Late Surge
The Yankees mounted a comeback against reliever John Schreiber in the eighth inning. Anthony Rizzo brought New York within one run with a homer. A critical error by second baseman Garrett Hampson set the stage for Anthony Volpe's RBI grounder, giving the Yankees a 3-2 lead after Angel Zerpa surrendered an RBI single to Soto.
Royals' Ninth-Inning Heroics
In the ninth inning, Drew Waters hit an infield single against Holmes. Following a fielder's choice, Kyle Isbel singled to bring up Garcia. Garcia delivered a liner down the left-field line, scoring MJ Melendez and Isbel to secure the win for the Royals. "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. Royals manager Matt Quatraro, who was ejected for arguing obstruction by Gleyber Torres earlier in the game, expressed his elation. "Quatraro told me he didn't even know I had a no-hitter going," Marsh said. "I responded, 'Don't get tossed next time.’"
Individual Highlights
Bobby Witt Jr. extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a single in the fourth inning and later scored on Vinnie Pasquantino's two-run double. Unfortunately, the Royals' sixth inning threat was cut short as Witt was caught stealing following a pickoff throw by Cortes.
"I just felt comfortable out there," Marsh added after his strong performance. The young pitcher’s confidence was evident as he led the charge against a formidable Yankees lineup. Meanwhile, Yankees manager Boone saw room for improvement despite the loss. "He had a presence on both sides," Boone said of Cortes. "I thought he did a good job, like Marsh, of mixing things up to give us seven strong innings."
Looking Ahead
The Royals hope to build on this victory and climb higher in the AL Central standings. "The way they hustle, the way they never quit, it's inspiring," reiterated Quatraro. However, the Yankees need to regroup and address their shortcomings. "We need to focus on the next game and make sure we execute our game plan better," noted Boone.
Both teams will be looking to capitalize on their strengths as the season progresses, but for now, the spotlight shines on the Royals and their impressive turnaround in this game.