Five Kansas City pitchers combined on a five-hit shutout and the visiting Royals scored an unearned run to beat the Washington Nationals 1-0 in 10 innings on Tuesday, snapping a seven-game losing streak.
Kansas City (83-74) and the Detroit Tigers (83-74) are tied for the last two American League wild-card spots and trail the Baltimore Orioles (87-70) by four games for the first wild card. The Royals and Tigers are two games up on the Minnesota Twins (81-76) and 2 1/2 games ahead of the Seattle Mariners (81-77).
With one out in the 10th and runner Kyle Isbel on second, Bobby Witt Jr. hit a slow roller to short. Nasim Nunez charged the ball but bounced his throw to first. Witt was safe and Isbel scored the game’s first run on the throwing error.
Angel Zerpa (2-0) pitched one inning for the win and Lucas Erceg picked up his 12th save. Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan (3-7) took the loss.
Witt had two hits for the Royals, who have scored a total of one run in their past three games.
The Nationals (69-88) were shut out for the second straight game and have lost seven of eight. Kansas City went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position; Washington was 0-for-8.
The Royals loaded the bases with no outs in the first but failed to score. Tommy Pham reached on an error and Witt and Salvador Perez singled. Yuli Gurriel smacked a line drive, but Nunez made a leaping catch and doubled Witt off second. Nationals starter Mitchell Parker fielded Freddy Fermin’s grounder up the middle behind his back and threw to first for the out.
The Royals had runners on first and second with one out in the third, but Perez struck out. Gurriel walked to load the bases before Parker got Fermin to ground out.
Washington’s Jacob Young doubled with one out in the seventh, went to third on a groundout but was stranded there.
Royals starter Cole Ragans went six scoreless innings while allowing three hits. He walked three and struck out six.
Parker gave up five hits over five scoreless innings. He walked two and struck out five.
The start of the game was delayed 40 minutes by rain.
–Field Level Media
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