Royals drop pitchers duel 1-0 to Yankees, swept in season series

By MATT PIKE

The Kansas City Royals contained the New York Yankees explosive offense, but a late throwing error by Lucas Erceg proved costly as the Royals dropped a pitchers duel with the Bronx bombers, losing 1-0 at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday evening. 

Both starting pitchers, Seth Lugo for the Royals and Will Warren for the Yankees, pitched 5 2/3 innings and gave up minimal hits, Lugo allowing just two while Warren allowed four, and also giving up minimal baserunners with Lugo walking three and Warren walking one.  Angel Zerpa replaced Lugo in the sixth, but didn’t throw a single pitch before the game was delayed by rain. 

The delay lasted less than 30 minutes, and Zerpa returned to the mound, pitching 1 1/3 innings of relief giving up no hits and striking out two before he was replaced by Erceg in the eighth inning.  Erceg surrendered a single to Pablo Reyes, who advanced to second on a groundout by Trent Grisham.  After Ben Rice walked, Paul Goldschmidt hit a single, which Vinnie Pasquantino could not field cleanly and get to Erceg in time, as Erceg turned to see Reyes stranded between third and home, he gunned the ball to Freddy Fermin who could not field it cleanly, allowing Reyes to score. 

Kansas City managed no more hits the rest of the way, handing Erceg the loss, dropping him to 1-2 on the season, pitching one inning and giving up one run unearned on two hits, walking one and striking out one.  At the plate, five Royals managed one hit a piece, led by Nick Loftin who was 1-for-1 with two walks.

With the loss, the Royals were swept in the season series by the Yankees, and were outscored across the six games 29-11.  New York remains the only team this season that has swept Kansas City in a series. 

Kansas City stays at home next to take on the Athletics.  Michael Wacha (3-5, 3.01 ERA) takes the mound for the Royals against Luis Severino (1-6, 4.77 ERA) for the Athletics.  First pitch is at 7:10pm, pregame coverage will begin at 6:30 on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.