Maikel Garcia’s ninth-inning double boosted the host Kansas City Royals past the New York Yankees 4-3 on Thursday afternoon to avoid a four-game sweep.
Trailing 3-2, the Royals rallied with three hits against closer Clay Holmes (1-2).
With one out, Drew Waters reached on an infield hit. MJ Melendez followed with a groundout that forced Waters at second. Kyle Isbel then singled with two outs. Garcia drove Holmes’ 2-0 pitch into the left field corner, scoring both runners for the Royals’ fourth walk-off win.
After getting just one hit against Kansas City starter Alec Marsh through seven innings, New York rallied for three runs in the eighth, starting with Anthony Rizzo’s first homer since May 10.
After Anthony Volpe hit a run-scoring groundout to tie the game, Juan Soto’s single to right put the Yankees ahead. Soto was thrown out at second for the final out of the inning.
James McArthur (3-3) allowed one hit and struck out one in the ninth as the Royals snapped a season-high four-game losing streak.
Marsh walked two through six hitless frames before Soto broke up the no-hitter with a seventh-inning leadoff single. Marsh allowed just one runner past first and finished seven innings, striking out seven, including Aaron Judge three times. Judge struck out four times in the game.
Opening the fourth, Garcia walked on four pitches and Bobby Witt Jr. slapped a single to center for a career-best 14-game hitting streak. Witt had two of Kansas City’s nine hits and leads the majors with a .330 average.
Vinnie Pasquantino plated Witt and Garcia in the fourth two with a double to left-center for the Royals’ first lead of the series. His 16 go-ahead RBIs are second only to Judge in the majors.
Yankees starter Nestor Cortes allowed two runs on six hits and two walks in seven innings, striking out two.
Soto had two of New York’s five hits. During the series, the Yankees scored 15 of 28 runs via home run.
The Yankees’ four-game winning streak ended, but they have still won 12 of 15.
–Field Level Media
