Maikel Garcia's Heroics Lead Royals Past Yankees
In a dramatic contest that concluded with Maikel Garcia's clutch two-run double off Yankees closer Clay Holmes, the Kansas City Royals edged out the New York Yankees 4-3, narrowly avoiding a four-game sweep. The victory snapped a four-game losing streak for the Royals and provided a morale boost as they aim to build momentum moving forward.
Marsh's Stellar Performance
Rookie pitcher Alec Marsh was nearly untouchable, carrying a no-hit bid into the seventh inning against the Yankees. Marsh's excellent performance was highlighted by a 96-pitch outing, which was only interrupted by a leadoff single to Juan Soto in the seventh inning. Despite this, the rookie right-hander managed to retire the next three batters and maintained his poise throughout the game.
"I thought we had a good game plan going in," Marsh said. "Me and [catcher Freddy Fermin] were on the same page all day. I just felt comfortable out there."
Marsh's effort was appreciated by Royals manager Matt Quatraro, who said, "I couldn't be more proud of those guys. 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."
Yankees' Comeback and Cortes' Performance
The Yankees, who had dominated the first three games of the series, looked poised to complete the comeback after mounting a rally in the eighth inning against reliever John Schreiber. A home run by Anthony Rizzo brought New York within one run. Second baseman Garrett Hampson's critical error 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.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone praised Nestor Cortes’ performance, despite the loss. "I thought Nestor was good," Boone remarked. "It was a good pitchers' duel. His fastball was playing up. He was at 90, 91, 92, but it had something on it. He had a presence on both sides. I thought he did a good job, like Marsh, of mixing things up to give us seven strong innings."
Cortes pitched seven innings, allowing two runs and lowering his road ERA from 6.17 to 5.57.
Royals' Late-Game Heroics
The decisive moment came in the ninth inning when Drew Waters hit an infield single against Holmes. Following a fielder's choice, Kyle Isbel singled to bring up Garcia. Garcia seized the moment by delivering a liner down the left-field line, scoring MJ Melendez and Isbel and giving the Royals a thrilling 4-3 victory.
"Quatraro told me he didn't even know I had a no-hitter going," Marsh said after the game. "I responded, 'Don't get tossed next time.'"
James McArthur then secured the win for Kansas City by pitching a scoreless ninth inning.
Additional Highlights
Bobby Witt Jr. extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a single in the fourth inning. Witt later scored on Vinnie Pasquantino’s two-run double. However, Witt's aggressive baserunning in the sixth inning resulted in a key out as he was caught stealing following a pickoff throw by Cortes. This curtailed a potential scoring opportunity for Kansas City.
Royals manager Matt Quatraro was ejected for arguing what he perceived as obstruction by Gleyber Torres, an event that further underscored the contentious nature of the matchup. Yet, the Royals ultimately emerged victorious, holding second place in the AL Central and showing they can compete with baseball's best.
Conclusion
The Royals' victory was a testament to their resilience and determination. As they look to build on this momentum, the Yankees will need to regroup and address the issues that led to their downfall in this tight contest.