The Kansas City Royals executed a dramatic come-from-behind victory over the New York Yankees, securing a 4-3 win. Maikel Garcia delivered a clutch, game-ending two-run double off Yankees' closer Clay Holmes, allowing the Royals to avoid a four-game sweep and leaving the Yankees scrambling for answers.
Marsh's Stellar Performance
Rookie pitcher Alec Marsh took center stage with an impressive performance, carrying a no-hit bid into the seventh inning. Marsh’s gem was broken when Yankees’ star Juan Soto led off the seventh with a single. Despite this, Marsh managed to retire the next three batters, finishing his outstanding 96-pitch outing on a high note.
"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 crucial, especially after the Yankees dominated the first three games of the series. His strong performance on the mound provided a much-needed morale boost for the Royals.
Yankees' Late Surge
Despite Marsh’s heroics, the Yankees mounted a formidable comeback in the eighth inning against reliever John Schreiber. Anthony Rizzo narrowed the gap with a homer, bringing New York within one run. A critical error by Royals’ second baseman Garrett Hampson set the stage for Anthony Volpe’s RBI grounder, allowing the Yankees to take a 3-2 lead after Angel Zerpa surrendered an RBI single to Soto.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone had praise for his pitcher, Nestor Cortes, who allowed two runs over seven innings, lowering his road ERA from 6.17 to 5.57. "I thought Nestor was good," Boone commented. "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."
Royals' Ninth Inning Heroics
The Royals, however, were determined not to go down easily. In the ninth inning, Drew Waters hit an infield single against Holmes. Following a fielder’s choice, Kyle Isbel singled to bring up Garcia, who delivered the game-winning hit. His liner down the left-field line scored MJ Melendez and Isbel, sealing the victory for Kansas City.
James McArthur then secured the win for the Royals by pitching a scoreless ninth inning. "I couldn’t be more proud of those guys," said Royals manager Matt Quatraro. "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."
Witt and Quatraro's Ejection
Bobby Witt Jr. extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a single in the fourth inning, further fueling the Royals’ offense. Witt later scored on Vinnie Pasquantino’s two-run double, though their sixth inning threat was cut short when Witt was caught stealing following a pickoff throw by Cortes.
In a moment of contention, Royals manager Matt Quatraro was ejected for arguing obstruction by Gleyber Torres. Despite the setback, the Royals managed to rally for the win. "Quatraro told me he didn’t even know I had a no-hitter going," Marsh said. "I responded, 'Don’t get tossed next time.’"
Looking Ahead
The win places Kansas City firmly in second place in the AL Central, while snapping their four-game losing streak. They hope to build on this victory as they continue their season. On the other hand, the Yankees need to regroup after this tough loss and find a way to bounce back.