Royals Edge Yankees with Garcia's Late Heroics
The Kansas City Royals managed to avoid a four-game sweep against the New York Yankees in dramatic fashion, with Maikel Garcia's two-run double off Yankees closer Clay Holmes sealing the deal for a 4-3 victory. This win was crucial for the Royals as it snapped their four-game losing streak and provided a much-needed boost to the team's confidence.
Marsh's Impressive Performance
Rookie pitcher Alec Marsh was exceptional, carrying a no-hit bid into the seventh inning against the dominant Yankees lineup. Marsh had the Yankee hitters off-balance all night, constantly mixing up pitches with the help of catcher Freddy Fermin. "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 bid was finally broken up by a leadoff single from Juan Soto in the seventh inning. Nevertheless, he retired the next three batters to finish his 96-pitch outing on a high note. Royals manager Matt Quatraro praised Marsh's efforts, saying, "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' Attempted Comeback
Nestor Cortes was solid for the Yankees, allowing just two runs over seven innings of work. He significantly lowered his road ERA to 5.57 from 6.17. Yankees manager Aaron Boone commented, "I thought Nestor 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."
The Yankees attempted to mount a comeback against reliever John Schreiber in the eighth inning. Anthony Rizzo made it a one-run game with a homer, and a critical error by Royals second baseman Garrett Hampson set the stage for Anthony Volpe's RBI grounder. The Yankees managed to take a 3-2 lead when Angel Zerpa surrendered an RBI single to Juan Soto, but their efforts ultimately fell short.
Final-Inning Dramatics
In the ninth inning, Drew Waters hit an infield single against Holmes, and after a fielder's choice, Kyle Isbel singled to bring up Garcia for his game-winning moment. Garcia delivered a liner down the left-field line, scoring MJ Melendez and Isbel to give the Royals the lead.
The victory was secured by James McArthur, who pitched a scoreless ninth inning to cap off a thrilling game. The Royals now hold second place in the AL Central and hope to build on this momentum. In contrast, the Yankees need to regroup after the gut-wrenching loss. Boone expressed his frustration but acknowledged the quality of the opponent.
Additional Highlights
Bobby Witt Jr. extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a single in the fourth inning, eventually scoring on Vinnie Pasquantino's two-run double. However, the Royals' sixth inning threat was cut short when Witt was caught stealing following a pickoff throw by Cortes. Royals manager Matt Quatraro was ejected for arguing obstruction by Gleyber Torres, adding further drama to an already tension-filled game.
As the Royals look to capitalize on this significant victory, Marsh offered a light-hearted reflection on his performance and Quatraro's ejection. "Quatraro told me he didn't even know I had a no-hitter going," Marsh said. "I responded, 'Don't get tossed next time.'"
The Yankees, having dominated the first three games of the series, will need to find a way to bounce back and refine their strategies to regain their winning form. The Royals, on the other hand, can take immense pride in how they battled against one of the league's top teams.
One thing is clear: games like this remind everyone why baseball is one of the most exciting sports, filled with unexpected twists and last-minute heroics. The Royals showed that with grit and determination, even the toughest challenges can be overcome.