The Kansas City Royals didn’t have a baserunner until the 4th inning. But after back-to-back walks, a double play and flyout ended the threat. The Royals didn’t get a hit until one out in the bottom of the 6th inning on a bloop double from Mike Yastrzemski, but a flyout and a strikeout and the Royals looked like they were in trouble.
Ryan Bergert looked good again in his 3rd start as a Royal. He surrendered a long solo homer to the second batter of the game, Lenyn Sosa, and an error set up his second run allowed, although it was unearned. His final line was 5.1 innings pitched, 6 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), 2 walks and 7 strikeouts. In his 3 starts, he has gone at least 5 innings and allowed 2 or less runs in each start.
Angel Zerpa struck out a pair to finish the 6th inning for Bergert. Sam Long, Lucas Erceg and Carlos Estevez all threw scoreless innings as well.
With two outs in the bottom of the 7th, Adam Frazier shot a double down the left field line on an 0-2 pitch, which set Jonathan India up to hit a monster, 451-foot two run homer into the second tier of fountains in left field, tying the game at 2.
In the bottom of the 8th, Bobby Witt Jr. would hit a one out single and steal second base with 2 outs. Maikel Garcia did a nice job battling, before smacking a go-ahead single into right field to put the Royals ahead 3-2. Garcia got to second on a throwing error by the pitcher on a pickoff attempt. Salvador Perez smoked an RBI single off the center field wall, making it 4-2. Frazier, who started the rally in the 7th, wound up hit a towering 2-run shot into the Royals bullpen as an exclamation point.
With the 6-2 victory, the Royals sweep the White Sox for the second time this season in Kauffman Stadium. They finish the year 7-0 against them at home. They haven’t lost to the White Sox at home since 2023. The Royals are also 63-61 on the season, and everyone ahead of them in the wild card race has lost so far today. (Yankees game tied going to the 9th, Mariners play Sunday night baseball, as this is being written). They sit a half game back of the Guardians and 3.5 behind the Yankees for the last wild card spot.
The Royals finish the week 5-1 and have 4 games left on this homestand, starting tomorrow night at 6:40 p.m. CT against the Texas Rangers. The Royals swept them in Texas. The Rangers have lost 8 of their last 10 games, and have fallen behind the Royals in the wild card race.