As deadline looms, Royals power way to key series win over Cubs

By MATT PIKE

With the trade deadline on the horizon, the Kansas City Royals powered their way to a key series win, hitting four home runs, and beating the Chicago Cubs 8-4 at Wrigley Field on Wednesday afternoon. 

In the first inning, Adam Frazier reached on a fielding error, and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Maikel Garcia, before scoring as Vinnie Pasquantino hit the Royals first home run, and his first home run of the game, giving Kansas City a 2-0 lead in the opening inning.  The Cubs cut the lead to one in the second inning, Reese McGuire singling home Ian Happ on a hit into right field.

In the third inning, the Royals added two more runs with another two run home run, this time by Salvador Perez, following up Pasquantino’s one out double with a blast into the left field ivy to put Kansas City up 4-1 on Chicago.  In the bottom half, the Cubs added one more run as Carson Kelly doubled home Michael Busch who led the inning off getting hit by a pitch. 

Pasquantino hit his second home run of the game in the fifth inning, another two run shot, driving in Garcia after his one out single, the ball sailing into right field.  The power surge continued in the sixth inning with the fourth home run of the game, and the fourth two run home run, as Tyler Tolbert hit his first major league home run, scoring Kyle Isbel for the final Royals runs. 

Matt Shaw homered in the seventh inning and Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a solo home run in the eighth inning for the final runs for the Cubs in the loss before Lucas Erceg closed out the game with a clean ninth inning to give the Royals the series win. 

Seth Lugo earned the win, improving to 7-5 on the season, pitching six innings and giving up two runs on four hits while striking out six and walking two.  At the plate, Pasquantino was 3-for-4 with two home runs, a double, and four RBIs.  Perez was 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs. 

Kansas City is off on Thursday and returns to Kauffman Stadium on Friday to host Cleveland.  Michael Wacha (4-9, 3.62 ERA) takes the mound for the Royals against Gavin Williams (6-4, 3.54 ERA) for the Guardians.  First pitch is at 7:10pm on Friday, with pregame coverage beginning at 6:30 on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM). 

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.