Through 4 and half innings, the Royals looked like they were bound for a disappointing, low scoring loss, which many fans have been accustomed to this season. But Michael Massey battled back from a 1-2 count to earn a walk to start the bottom half of the 5th. Kyle Isbel bunted on a 2-2 pitch, Mariners pitcher Bryan Woo fielded and wildly threw it away down the line, 2nd and 3rd nobody out with the top of the order coming up.
Woo did get two unproductive outs from Maikel Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr.,
but after falling behind 2-0 to Vinnie Pasquantino, the Mariners decided to intentionally walk him. On the first pitch, Salvador Perez smashed a two-run single into left to put the Royals in front, 2-1.
Carter Jensen smacked a high fly ball to deep left, that just keep carrying, and went off the top of the wall, scoring 2 more runs, Royals up 4-1, and at the same time, forcing Woo out of the game.
Isaac Collins led off the 6th inning with a double and came around to score on an Isbel sacrifice fly, putting the Royals up 5-1. Seth Lugo was really good today, going 6.1 innings, giving up 6 hits, 3 runs, walking 2 and striking out 3. Outside of a solo homer to Julio Rodríguez, Lugo was efficient and rather untouchable until the 7th. After three straight hits, Daniel Lynch IV replaced Lugo, allowing an inherited runner to score, but retired the next two hitters, 5-3 going to the bottom of the 7th.
Pasquantino hit a one out double, and came around to score on Perez’s third hit of the day, and his third run batted in. 6-3 KC.
John Schreiber worked a scoreless 8th inning, allowing just a two out single. The Royals tacked on two more in the bottom of the 8th, on a two out single from Garcia.
Lucas Erceg made his first appearance since last Sunday, and it was a mixed bag. Erceg got two quick outs with a double mixed in. A bloop single, some defensive indifferences and a couple more hits, and it was 8-6 with the tying run at the plate, but Erceg buckled down, getting a groundout to Salvy to end the game. The concerning thing is Erceg threw 32 pitches, his availability for the next couple days will be something to monitor.
The Royals take the series from the Mariners, they finish the year, 5-1 against Seattle. The Royals are now 5-12 this season in series finale games, and 1-4 in rubber match games. The Yankees come to town for three to finish the homestand. The Yankees have won 11 straight games against the Royals. Tomorrow, the game is on ESPN, first pitch is set for 2:40 p.m. CT.
