By MATT PIKE
Nick Loftin singled in the tying run and scored on Maikel Garcia’s double in the seventh inning, sending the Kansas City Royals to a 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday night at Progressive Field and snapping a three game losing streak.
The Royals scored the first run of the game in the opening inning as Jonathan India reached on an infield single, driving in Garcia. The Guardians took the lead in the bottom half of the inning though as Kyle Manzardo hit a two-run homer in the first. Vinnie Pasquantino tied the game in the third inning on an RBI single, scoring Bobby Witt Jr. It's the first time in his career Pasquantino has had a 100 RBI season.
Bo Naylor's RBI single in the fourth gave Cleveland the lead back, driving in Angel Martinez. With the Guardians leading 3-2 after six innings, Loftin drove in Tyler Tolbert, then came around on Garcia’s liner off the wall in left against Hunter Gaddis in the seventh inning, with Cleveland reliever Tim Herrin being charged with both runs.
Kansas City snapped a three-game losing streak and moved within 3 1/2 games of Seattle, which holds the third and final American League wild-card position. The Guardians are three behind the Mariners.
Luinder Avila worked two scoreless innings for his first career win and Carlos Estévez pitched the ninth for his major league-leading 39th save. At the plate, Garcia was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Pasquantino was also 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Witt Jr was 2-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored.
Next, Kansas City and Cleveland wrap up their series tomorrow. Stephen Kolek (5-5, 3.88 ERA) takes the mound for the Royals facing Gavin Williams (10-5, 3.17 ERA) for the Guardians. First pitch is at 6:15pm with pregame coverage starting at 5:30pm.
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