Bobby Witt Jr.'s big day boosts Royals over Pirates

Field Level Media|published: Sat 14th September, 16:12 2024

Sep 14, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) circles the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Bobby Witt Jr. went 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs and Michael Wacha hurled five quality innings, helping lead the visiting Kansas City Royals to a 5-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.

Wacha (13-7) allowed just one run on four hits, while striking out eight and walking three.

The Royals (82-67) won their seventh game in nine tries and secured the three-game series win heading into Sunday's finale.

Mitch Keller (11-10) gave up four runs (three earned) on four hits over six innings. The Pittsburgh starter struck out six and walked one. Bryan Reynolds and Jared Triolo each tallied a pair of hits for the Pirates (70-78), who lost their second straight.

Kansas City began the scoring two batters in as Witt launched his 31st homer of the season, a solo shot off Keller.

Neither team scored again until the fifth, when Adam Frazier's leadoff triple was followed by Maikel Garcia's RBI double for the Royals. After Kyle Isbel was hit by a pitch, he and Garcia pulled off a double steal with one out.

Witt drove in Garcia on a sac fly, extending the Royals' lead to 3-0.

Triolo began the home half of the fifth with a single before advancing to second on Isiah Kiner-Falefa's single two batters later. After Reynolds struck out, Oneil Cruz's run-scoring single to center accounted for Pittsburgh's only run.

The Royals got that run back in the sixth, when Michael Massey's leadoff double was followed by Triolo's fielding error on Freddy Fermin's ground ball, allowing Massey to score Kansas City's fourth run.

After Keller was replaced by Carmen Mlodzinski for the seventh, Isbel greeted the reliever with a leadoff double before scoring on Cruz's fielding error.

The Pirates threatened in the eighth but came up empty. With James McArthur pitching for Kansas City, Nick Gonzales led off with a single. Two batters later, Yasmani Grandal walked and Triolo singled to load the bases with one out.

Kris Bubic replaced McArthur, striking out Joey Bart and Kiner-Falefa to escape the jam.

--Field Level Media

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