KANSAS CITY — With a sweep of the Royals in reach during their final contest of a nine-game road trip that began in Washington, D.C., more than a week ago, the Cardinals totaled 12 hits and received a strong start by Matthew Liberatore but could only scratch across one run, leaving them with a 2-1 loss on Sunday at Kauffman Stadium.
The Cardinals held a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning on the strength of a solo home run from Alec Burleson that came against Royals starter and former Cardinal Michael Wacha. That lead did not hold past the end of the fourth inning.
An RBI double from Dairon Blanco with two outs in the fourth inning represented the lone run the Royals scored against Liberatore, who completed six innings and logged his sixth quality start of the season.
Once Liberatore was lifted from the game following 92 pitches, Chris Roycroft was met with an early attack by Royals hitters. Roycroft surrendered a leadoff triple on the first pitch he threw to pinch hitter Drew Waters. In the next at-bat, Maikel Garcia pushed across Waters with a go-ahead single on the first pitch he saw from the Cardinals righty.
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Cardinals hitters, who also combined to reach base with one walk and two hit by pitches, left 13 runners on base after they had at least two runners reach base in the in first, second, fifth, sixth and eighth innings.
Brendan Donovan gave the Cardinals a chance to tie the game in the ninth inning on a one-out double off Royals closer Carlos Estevez. Nolan Arenado popped out, and a flyout to right field by Willson Contreras left Donovan stranded to end the game.
The loss bookended a 7-2 road trip for the Cardinals (26-21) that included series wins in Philadelphia, Washington and Kansas City.
Leaving runners on
In the five innings the Cardinals put a runner in scoring position, that runner was one of two runners on base. The game found leadoff hitter Lars Nootbaar in three of those opportunities.
When he stepped up to bat in the second and eighth innings, Nootbaar struck out to end the frame. He flew out to right field in the sixth after Ivan Herrera reached base with a leadoff single and Victor Scott II was hit by a pitch.
The Cardinals’ scoring opportunity in the fifth inning, created by two-out singles from Donovan and Arenado, evaporated two pitches into Willson Contreras’ at-bat as he lined out to center field.
Coming into Sunday’s series finale, the Cardinals had combined to bat .245 with two outs and runners in scoring position.
Burleson’s blast
Absent from the Cardinals lineup in the first two games of their three-game set in Kansas City, Burleson made his presence on Sunday felt three pitches into his first at-bat.
Burleson connected on a 1-1 slider Wacha placed at Burleson’s knees and belted it 430 feet to center field to give the Cardinals their first run of the afternoon. The home run, Burleson’s fourth in 39 games this season, reached an exit velocity of 107.3 mph, per Statcast.
The start on Sunday was Burleson’s fifth appearance on the Cardinals’ nine-game road trip but marked just his third start during the stretch as Herrera has filled the designated hitter role upon his return from the injured list on May 9 and Contreras has offered stability at first base.
On Saturday, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol spoke on the difficulties of getting “everybody at-bats” with their rotation of position players, including Burleson. The manager noted he “also like to see what Burly is.”
With his first at-bat against Wacha, the 26-year-old Burleson gave his manager an example of what he can offer at the plate.
Limiting Royals to a run
A fourth inning that began with a double by Hunter Renfroe that Arenado could not secure ended with the Royals notching their lone run against Liberatore. Liberatore faced six hitters in the frame and needed 25 pitches to keep Kansas City from tacking on any additional offense outside of Blanco’s two-out RBI double.
Liberatore found himself working with runners on first and third following Blanco’s steal of third base, which was claimed without a tag as Arenado could not squeeze the throw from catcher Yohel Pozo when he looked to place a tag on Blanco, then a walk to leadoff hitter Garcia.
Facing Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. for a third time on Sunday, Liberatore put the former batting champion in a 1-2 count by landing his change-up and curveball for strikes. After missing above the strike zone with a fastball and seeing Witt foul off a curveball, Liberatore got Witt to pop out to second base to end the inning.
When facing the Royals’ All-Star shortstop, Liberatore induced a groundout, a flyout and the pop out that stranded runners at first and third base.
Photos: Cardinals can’t complete sweep, drop series finale to Royals in Kansas City
Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Carlos Estevez is doused by teammates after their baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro runs to the mound to check on relief pitcher Carlos Estevez during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Carlos Estevez throws during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Carlos Estevez, left, and catcher Freddy Fermin celebrate after their baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
Kansas City Royals outfielders Drew Waters, left, Kyle Isbel, center, and Hunter Renfroe celebrate after their baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
Kansas City Royals right fielder Hunter Renfroe catches a fly ball for the out on St. Louis Cardinals’ Willson Contreras to end the ninth inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
Kansas City Royals’ Drew Waters dives to third after hitting a triple during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher JoJo Romero throws during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
Kansas City Royals’ Maikel Garcia (11) is caught stealing second by St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) during the seventh inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
Kansas City Royals’ Drew Waters (8) celebrates with Kansas City Royals after scoring on a single by Maikel Garcia during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
Kansas City Royals’ Drew Waters (8) celebrates on third after hitting a triple during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
Kansas City Royals’ Drew Waters celebrates in the dugout after scoring on a single by Kansas City Royals’ Maikel Garcia during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
Kansas City Royals’ Drew Waters celebrates in the dugout after scoring on a single by Kansas City Royals’ Maikel Garcia during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
Kansas City Royals’ Maikel Garcia celebrates on first after hitting an RBI during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
St. Louis Cardinals’ Victor Scott II is tended to by a trainer after being hit by a pitch thrown by Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Daniel Lynch IV during the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Alec Burleson catches a fly ball for the out on Kansas City Royals’ Vinnie Pasquantio during the third inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
Cardinals right fielder Lars Nootbaar catches a foul ball for the out on Royals superstar Bobby Witt Jr. during the third inning of a game Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City.
Charlie Riedel, Associated Press
St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Lars Nootbaar catches a fly foul ball for the out on Kansas City Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. during the third inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
The Royals’ Dairon Blanco slides to second after hitting an RBI double during the fourth inning of a game against the Cardinals on Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City.
Charlie Riedel, Associated Press
Kansas City Royals’ Hunter Renfroe (16) celebrates with Bobby Witt Jr. (7) after scoring on a double by Dairon Blanco during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Alec Burleson catches a fly ball for the out on Kansas City Royals’ Freddy Fermin during the fourth inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
Kansas City Royals’ Dairon Blanco slides to second after hitting an RBI double during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
St. Louis Cardinals’ Alec Burleson celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
St. Louis Cardinals’ Alec Burleson watches his solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
St. Louis Cardinals’ Alec Burleson celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Victor Scott II chases a single hit by Kansas City Royals’ Mark Canha during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
Kansas City Royals center fielder Dairon Blanco catches a fly ball for the out on St. Louis Cardinals’ Masyn Winn during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha (52) stands with teammates for the national anthem during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel – AP
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