KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning and the Kansas City Royals beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-2 on Wednesday night in a game that was delayed 50 minutes by rain at the outset.
The Diamondbacks’ winning streak ended at four and they fell a half-game behind San Diego for the third wild card in the National League.
It was the third straight series in which the Royals won the final game to avoid a sweep.
Daniel Lynch (5-5) picked up the win, his first since moving into the starting rotation in early August. He allowed two runs on four hits in five innings. Nate Pearson earned his fourth save.
Michael Soroka (8-5) took the loss in relief, allowing three runs in four innings.
The Royals got an unearned run in the second inning. John Rave and Kyle Isbel recorded two-out singles. Rave stole third base and catcher James McCann’s throw went into left, allowing Rave to score. It marked the first time in the series that the Diamondbacks trailed.
The Royals added a run in the third on Carter Jensen’s 23rd home run. Each of Jensen’s last nine hits have gone for extra bases. He sits in second place in Royals history for home runs by a rookie (Bob Hamelin, 24, 1994).
The Diamondbacks answered quickly on Nolan Arenado’s 430-foot solo home run leading off the fourth. The Diamondbacks then tied it in the fourth on a two-out RBI single by Ketel Marte.
Witt put the Royals back in the lead with his homer in the bottom of the fifth.
Up next
After an off day, the Diamondbacks will host the Texas Rangers on Friday. Neither team has named a starter. The Royals travel to Boson on Friday to face the Red Sox. The Royals have not announced a starter to face Boston’s RHP Sonny Gray (17-4, 2.69 ERA) in the opener.
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