Royals 7-4 Nationals (September 26, 2024) Game Recap

WASHINGTON – The Kansas City Royals reduced their magic number to two with a 7-4 victory over the Washington Nationals on Thursday afternoon.

Pinch hitter Adam Frazier's one-out line-drive base hit to left field in the bottom of the ninth drove in two runs to break a 4-4 tie and lift the Royals to their third straight win after a seven-game losing streak.

Salvador Perez's second single of the game scored Frazier and chased Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan (3-8).

Hunter Renfroe led off with his 14th home run of the season, a 424-foot shot that left the park at 108.4 mph.

Kris Bubic (1-1) earned the win with a scoreless eighth inning. Lucas Erceg, the Royals' closer, earned his third straight save of the series – and 14th of the season – with a ninth-inning shutdown.

Starter Michael Wacha pitched five innings, allowing four runs (three earned) and five hits, striking out two and walking one on 83 pitches, 58 of which were for strikes.

In Nationals left-hander Patrick Corbin's final start for the team, the Royals took the lead thanks to five consecutive singles in the third. Tommy Pham, Bobby Witt Jr. and Yuli Gurriel had RBI singles to give the Royals a 4-1 lead.

Nationals second baseman Luis Garcia Jr. hit a three-run home run over the centerfield wall to tie the game at 4-4, his 17th of the season.

The Nationals ended a franchise-record drought with the second-longest scoring streak in 31 consecutive innings with an unearned run in the first inning. Dylan Crews scored their first run since Sept. 21 at Wrigley Field after second baseman Maikel Garcia dropped an infield pop fly.

Corbin bowed to a standing ovation and gave his cap to the crowd before entering the dugout and receiving high-fives from the coaching staff. The 35-year-old pitcher logged 5 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on six hits with one walk and three strikeouts on 73 pitches, including 49 strikeouts.

Corbin will become a free agent this winter when his six-year, $240 million contract expires. The two-time All-Star's defining moment came in Game 7 of the 2019 World Series, when he pitched three scoreless innings in relief to secure the decisive win for the Nationals in Houston, but has struggled with 63 losses over the past four seasons – the worst in the National League.

TRAINER ROOM

Royals: RHP Michael Lorenzen left his start Wednesday night after 2 1/3 innings with left leg fatigue but appears on track to pitch out of the bullpen this weekend against the Braves.

“I think it was exactly what we thought it would be,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “He was just a little tired. We just need to change what he's doing now that he's no longer pitching and prioritize making sure he's there when we need him and not worry about building stamina or strength for the future. It’s about him taking the mound next time.”

Quatraro said LHP Will Smith (15 days IL, back spasms) will host a live bullpen session on Saturday.

NEXT

Royals: RHP Brady Singer (9-12, 3.73 ERA) will face Braves LHP Max Fried (10-10, 3.42) on Friday night at Truist Park.

Nationals: RHP Trevor Williams (5-1, 2.19) will face Phillies LHP Ranger Suárez (12-7, 3.15) on Friday night at Nationals Park.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB