Royals Edge Yankees in Thrilling Finish
Maikel Garcia delivered a dramatic game-ending two-run double off Yankees closer Clay Holmes, propelling the Kansas City Royals to a nail-biting 4-3 victory over New York. This clutch hit not only secured the win for Kansas City but also enabled the Royals to avoid a four-game sweep at the hands of the Yankees.
Marsh Flirts with No-Hitter
Rookie pitcher Alec Marsh played a pivotal role in the Royals' triumph, carrying a no-hit bid into the seventh inning against the high-powered Yankees lineup. Marsh's no-hitter was broken when he allowed a leadoff single to Juan Soto in the seventh. Nevertheless, the young pitcher demonstrated poise and resilience, retiring the next three batters to conclude his 96-pitch outing.
Marsh commented on his performance, saying, "I thought we had a good game plan going in. Me and [catcher Freddy Fermin] were on the same page all day. I just felt comfortable out there." Royals manager Matt Quatraro expressed his pride, stating, "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 Falls Short
The Yankees, who had dominated the first three games of the series, mounted a late comeback against Royals reliever John Schreiber. Anthony Rizzo energized the New York roster with a homer that brought the Yankees within one run. A critical error by Royals second baseman Garrett Hampson set the stage for Anthony Volpe's RBI grounder, which tied the game. The Yankees then seized a 3-2 lead after Angel Zerpa surrendered an RBI single to Juan Soto.
However, the Royals were not finished. Drew Waters hit an infield single in the ninth inning off Yankees closer Clay Holmes. A fielder's choice followed, and Kyle Isbel singled to put runners on base for Garcia. Rising to the occasion, Garcia delivered a liner down the left-field line that scored MJ Melendez and Isbel, sealing the win for Kansas City. James McArthur pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn the victory for the Royals.
Royals Snap Losing Streak
The victory was a much-needed boost for the Royals, who snapped a four-game losing streak and maintained their second-place standing in the AL Central. "The Royals hope to build on this victory and carry the momentum forward," said Quatraro.
For the Yankees, it was a disappointing end to a series they had controlled until the final game. Yankees manager Aaron Boone, reflecting on the performance of his pitcher, remarked, "I thought Nestor [Cortes] was good. 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."
Other Notable Performances
Nestor Cortes, the Yankees starting pitcher, allowed just two runs over seven innings, lowering his road ERA to 5.57 from 6.17. Bobby Witt Jr. extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a single in the fourth inning. Witt scored on a two-run double by Vinnie Pasquantino, showcasing the Royals' ability to capitalize on key opportunities.
The Royals had another threat in the sixth inning, but it was cut short when Witt was caught stealing after a pickoff throw by Cortes. The intense game also saw Royals manager Matt Quatraro ejected for arguing an obstruction call involving Gleyber Torres. Quatraro later shared a light-hearted moment, recalling a conversation with Marsh, who noted, "Quatraro told me he didn't even know I had a no-hitter going. I responded, 'Don't get tossed next time.'"
The Yankees will need to regroup after this loss as they aim to maintain their position in their competitive division. Meanwhile, the Royals will look to build on this morale-boosting victory.