The Royals could not hit with runners in scoring position this series.
Royals hitters went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position as the Astros finished off a four-game sweep with a 7-2 win on Sunday afternoon. The Royals went 3-for-21 with runners in scoring position for the series as they extend their losing streak to five games.
Astros starter Ronel Blanco gave the Royals opportunities early on. He walked two in the first and two in the fourth, but he Royals were unable to bring any of them home. Blanco would exit after just five innings, but having allowed no runs.
Royals starter Alec Marsh retired nine of the first ten hitters he faced until the fourth inning, when he gave up a solo home run to Yordan Alvarez to put the Astros on the board. He almost escaped without further damage, but a two-out walk to Ben Gamel set up a two-run home run to Jon Singleton to make it a three-run inning.
The Royals finally broke through in the sixth off reliever Tayler Scott. With one out, MJ Melendez and Freddy Fermin hit back-to-back singles. Former Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel collected his first RBI with the Royals, lining a pitch to left to score Melendez. But the Royals couldn’t make it a big inning when Maikel Garcia and Kyle Isbel struck out to end the threat.
Marsh left after five innings, having given up four hits and three runs with one walk and five strikeouts. Sam Long gave up a solo home run to the first batter he faced in the sixth, Yordan Alvarez, the second home run of the day for the slugger. Bobby Witt Jr. got that run back with a home run of his own, his 30th of the year to make it 4-2 Astros.
3️⃣0️⃣ homers this season for Bobby Witt Jr.! #Royals pic.twitter.com/Lvi8FcF8wF
— Bally Sports Kansas City (@BallySportsKC) September 1, 2024
Carlos Hernandez struck out all three hitters he faced, but every game seems to have a reliever who blows up and this game it was John Schreiber. He gave up hits to four of the five batters he faced, with three of them coming around to score, resulting in a 7-2 loss.
The Royals fall to 75-63 and are now 3.5 games back of the Guardians. They will host Cleveland for a big three-game series beginning Monday night in Kansas City.
