Royals Secure Thrilling Victory with Garcia's Walk-Off Double
In a thrilling conclusion to a four-game series, Maikel Garcia delivered a game-winning two-run double off Yankees closer Clay Holmes, enabling the Kansas City Royals to edge out New York 4-3 and avoid a four-game sweep. The victory snapped the Royals' four-game losing streak and solidified their hold on second place in the AL Central.
Marsh's Stellar Performance
Rookie pitcher Alec Marsh was a standout for Kansas City, carrying a no-hit bid into the seventh inning. Marsh, who appeared in top form, eventually allowed a leadoff single to Juan Soto but managed to retire the next three batters, capping off his 96-pitch outing.
"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."
Despite his strong performance, the Yankees mounted a comeback against reliever John Schreiber in the eighth inning. A homer by Anthony Rizzo brought New York within one run, and a critical error by second baseman Garrett Hampson set the stage for Anthony Volpe's RBI grounder. Angel Zerpa later surrendered an RBI single to Soto, allowing the Yankees to take a 3-2 lead.
Ninth-Inning Heroics
Facing a narrow defeat, the Royals showcased their resilience in the ninth inning. Drew Waters started the rally with an infield single against Holmes. Following a fielder's choice, Kyle Isbel singled to bring up Garcia, who delivered with a liner down the left-field line, scoring MJ Melendez and Isbel to secure the victory.
"I couldn't be more proud of those guys," said Royals manager Matt Quatraro. "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."
James McArthur secured the win for Kansas City by pitching a scoreless ninth inning, stifling any hopes of another Yankees comeback.
Yankees' Early Dominance
The Yankees had dominated the first three games of the series, and Nestor Cortes continued the trend with a strong performance in the series finale. Cortes allowed two runs over seven innings, lowering his road ERA from 6.17 to 5.57. Cortes kept the Royals' bats in check, except for a fourth-inning single by Bobby Witt Jr. that extended Witt’s hitting streak to 14 games.
"I thought Nestor was good," commented Yankees manager Aaron Boone. "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."
Despite Cortes' stellar outing, the Royals managed to capitalize on opportunities. Witt Jr. scored on a two-run double by Vinnie Pasquantino, and the team threatened again in the sixth inning. However, Witt was caught stealing following a pickoff throw by Cortes, cutting the Royals' rally short. This also led to Royals' manager Matt Quatraro being ejected for arguing that Gleyber Torres had obstructed Witt.
Moving Forward
The Royals hope to build on this victory as they work to climb the standings in the AL Central. For the Yankees, the need to regroup is critical as they aim to maintain their competitiveness in a tough division.
"Quatraro told me he didn't even know I had a no-hitter going," Marsh said. "I responded, 'Don't get tossed next time.’"
As both teams reflect on this electrifying game, the Royals will cherish their resilience and never-quit attitude that secured a remarkable win. Meanwhile, the Yankees will look to rectify their errors and seek redemption in their forthcoming games.