Royals have struggled in 1 critical area. It cost them (again) in series finale
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Royals went 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position, stranding 15 men
- Luke Keaschall's walk-off home run sealed series win for the Twins in extras
- Kansas City dropped second straight series, sits 4.5 games out of Wild Card
The Kansas City Royals had their chances early against the Minnesota Twins but wound up with nothing to show for it in Sunday’s 5-3 loss in 11 innings at Target Field.
The Royals went 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position and left 15 men on base. As a result, the club is four games behind the New York Yankees (62-55) for the final spot in the American League Wild Card race.
“It’s a tough loss no question, but it’s one loss,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro told reporters in Minneapolis after the game. “So we are going to have an opportunity to come out tomorrow and play. Get a chance to win tomorrow’s game.”
KC hitters worked nine three-ball counts against Twins starting pitcher Jose Ureña. The longtime major-league veteran struggled with his command; an elevated pitch count ended his outing after 73 pitches.
Nonetheless, Ureña allowed just one run in his short stint. The Royals failed to capitalize on four walks as Vinnie Pasquantino lined into a double play in the first inning. In the fourth, John Rave was left stranded on third base.
And the Twins took the advantage.
Ryan Fitzgerald, who was in the Royals organization last season, hit his first career home run off KC rookie starting pitcher Ryan Bergert. He belted a two-run homer into the right-field seats to give Minnesota a 2-1 lead.
Bergert turned in another solid performance. his second start with the Royals since arriving from San Diego in a pre-deadline trade. However, he walked Twins catcher Mickey Gasper just ahead of Fitzgerald and that proved costly.
“That’s a second really good outing,” Quatraro said. “He shows really good stuff and really good composure.
“He is getting righties and lefties out and he elevated his fastball when he needed to. He threw some good sliders down to lefties as well and some good changeups. There’s nothing you don’t like about what he has done.”
Bergert earned a no-decision after allowing two runs and striking out eight Twins in 5 2/3 innings.
The Royals took the lead in the seventh when Pasquantino powered a 83.3 mph curveball over the outfield fence. It was his career-best 20th home run of the season.
But the Twins wouldn’t go away.
Rave made a critical mistake in left field as he misplayed a line drive by Twins outfielder Austin Martin. He attempted to make a diving catch; instead, the ball rolled past him to the left-field wall.
“His instincts were to go get it,” Quatraro said. “He is going to give the best effort he can, and I know if he had it to do over again, he would’ve played it as a single if he knew he wasn’t going to catch it. But he is probably a couple inches away from catching that ball.”
Martin wound up at third base. He scored the game-tying run on Ryan Jeffers’ RBI single in the eighth.
Of Rave, Quatraro said: “That’s effort, that’s intensity and trying to do the best you can. It’s a physical error and it’s not something he is going to try to do that again if the situation presented itself, but that’s what happened.”
With the score deadlocked at 3, the Royals again had a bases-loaded opportunity to win the game in the ninth inning. However, Adam Frazier flew out to right field, leaving all runners stranded.
And this time the Twins wouldn’t give in. After the Royals squandered two chances to score in extra innings, Luke Keaschall hit a walk-off, two-run homer to give Minnesota the series victory.
“They had chances yesterday and we wiggled out of it,” Quatraro said. “We had chances today and they wiggled out of it. We hit some balls right on the screws and right at people. And sometimes there is nothing you can do about that.”
The Royals (58-60) finished 4-5 on their nine-game road trip. The missed opportunities hurt and they have now dropped two consecutive series.
KC returns to Kauffman Stadium now and begins a three-game series against the Washington Nationals on Monday.
This story was originally published August 10, 2025 at 3:45 PM with the headline "Royals have struggled in 1 critical area. It cost them (again) in series finale."
