KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. hit a home run and scored three times to lead the Kansas City Royals over the Milwaukee Brewers 6-4 on Wednesday.
Both starting pitchers struggled out of the gate but settled down and limited the damage. The Royals' Brady Singer (3-1) allowed one run on five hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out four. Joe Ross (1-4) allowed three runs on three hits in five-plus innings, walking two and striking out two.
“I think the sinker had a lot of action on it,” Singer said. “I was able to locate that pretty well, get it in on the lefthanders. I wanted to go deeper in the game, but the first two innings the pitch count was pretty high.”
James McArthur picked up his eighth save after blowing his last two chances.
“We thought we had a chance to not have to bring him in, but clearly we needed to,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. “He came in and executed right off the bat. He only had to throw three pitches.”
The Brewers opened the first with back-to-back doubles by Brice Turang and William Contreras to grab a 1-0 lead.
The Royals answered with back-to-back doubles by Maikel Garcia and Witt, but didn't score until Vinnie Pasquantino's sacrifice fly. Witt's double looked like a flyout to center, keeping Garcia at second. But Blake Perkins slipped in center and the ball dropped untouched. Michael Massey's sacrifice fly scored Witt to give KC a 2-1 lead.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy wasn't lamenting the mistakes after the game.
“They're all winnable,” he said. “You make mistakes and then it piles on. Give them credit, they capitalized when they had to. But we had a couple of things happen to us early. But there were a lot of good things today, too. Gary Sanchez continues to have great at-bats. Joe Ross pitched good.”
After both starters settled down, Massey got his second sacrifice fly in the sixth, scoring Witt. The sacrifice fly isn't as glamorous as an RBI hit, but the runs help.
“It's knowing the situation and getting a pitch you can do something with,” Quatraro said. “You have to understand that you don't have to do too much. Both Vinnie and Massey had big at-bats.”
Sanchez connected for his fifth home run leading off the seventh for Milwaukee. With one out and a runner at second, Turang lined one to left, but Oliver Dunn was thrown out at the plate by left fielder MJ Melendez.
“I'm just trying to find a way to help this team win,” said Melendez, who entered the game hitting .185 and struck out in his two at-bats. “Obviously I'm not getting the job done on offense. I'm trying to make up for it on the other side of the ball.”
His contributions have not gone unnoticed by his teammates.
“I think he's got one of the best arms out there,” Witt said. “His accuracy is unbelievable. It's great to see him out there doing his thing.”
Witt hit his first home run since April 11 leading off the eighth.
“That was a slider,” Witt said. “Those are the pitches you're supposed to hit out when they back up like that.”
Adam Frazier and Freddy Fermin added RBI singles. The Brewers got two runs in the ninth.
Christian Yelich went 0 for 5 for the Brewers in his first game back from a low back strain.
TRAINING ROOM
Royals: RHP Alec Marsh is eligible to come off the IL on Friday. Manager Matt Quatraro said Marsh is on schedule to start for the Royals in Anaheim.
UP NEXT
Brewers: return to Milwaukee to start a four-game series with the Cardinals. Milwaukee will hand the ball to RHP Tobias Myers (0-2, 6.23 ERA). The Cardinals have not announced their starter.
Royals: will begin a four-game series in Anaheim on Thursday. RHP Michael Wacha (1-4, 5.50 ERA) will start for KC against LHP Reid Detmers (3-3, 4.24 ERA).
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