Against the White Sox this afternoon, the Royals lost their fourth straight game, this one a 2-1 comedy of errors in which the Royals failed to bunt home a run, had a runner thrown out at third after scoring their lone run, had an infielder trip on second base, and had an infielder leave after being nailed by a throw from his pitcher in a rather sensitive area.
Your 2026 Kansas City Royals, everyone.
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This loss, which drops the Royals to 34-50, was no fault whatsoever of starting pitcher Michael Wacha. Wacha continues his solid tenure with the Royals, pitching into the eighth as he surpassed 100 pitches. In the end, he recorded 7-and-2/3 innings allowing six hits and just one walk while striking out seven. The White Sox scored just a single run against him. He left with a runner on second, but Daniel Lynch IV (more on him in a minute) recorded the final out of the inning. Wacha recorded a no-decision.
The bad times for the Royals started in the top of the second. With one out, Michael Massey singled before Salvador Perez banged one down the line that unfortunately hopped the wall for a ground-rule double. With one out and runners on second and third, John Rave struck out looking. With two outs and runners on second and third, Nick Loftin, whose day would become much, much worse, struck out swinging.
In the sixth, the Royals threatened again when Bobby Witt Jr., playing in the field for the first time for about a week, doubled with one out. But Jac Caglianone popped out and, get ready for this, Lane Thomas struck out swinging.
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The following inning, the Royals had their best scoring chance yet. Massey singled. Relief pitcher Tyler Tolbert subbed in as a pinch runner and promptly stole second. Tolbert stole third as Salvy struck out. Then Starling Marte walked.
One out, runners on the corners. Surely Loftin will drive home Tolbert.
Well, Loftin bunted, and his bunt went directly to Chicago’s pitcher, lefty Sean Newcomb, who fielded it and then flipped the ball from his glove to the catcher, Drew Romo. Tolbert didn’t have a chance.
Still, the inning continued. Isaac Collins walked to load the bases with two outs and to turn over the lineup. Carter Jensen extended his hitting streak with a sharply hit ball to right to score Marte. Royals lead, 1-0, with Bobby Witt Jr. coming up–
Oh, wait, no. The video above hilariously cuts off, but Loftin, for some reason, took a wiiiiide turn around third. Romo fired it to the White Sox third baseman, Miguel Vargas, who tagged Loftin for the out, ending the threat.
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Sometimes all you can do is laugh.
Down 1-0, Chicago came right back as, ugh, Andrew Benintendi singled to left. With one out, Chase Meidroth hit a ball up the middle. It looked to me like a double-play ball, but then Tolbert couldn’t make the play. Looked like he stumbled over second on his way to field it. Regardless, it led to runners on the corners with one out. Luisangel Acuna, who pinch-ran for Benintendi, scored on a groundout by Braden Montgomery to tie it at 1-1.
In both the eighth and ninth innings, the Royals went down in order. Professional job, hitters.
The bottom of the ninth, though, takes the cake. With runners on first and second and none out, Montgomery laid down a bunt. Lynch fielded it while running toward the third base line. He hesitated for a second before firing the ball to Loftin at third for the force out. Except…well…it was a bit of a low throw that Loftin didn’t catch. Instead, it him, uh, below the belt, if you will, and Loftin collapsed like a house of cards. Dude left the field on his own accord, but looked shaken. Deservedly so.
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John Schreiber relieved Lynch. After striking out Junior Perez, Jacob Gonzalez singled home the winning run.
Sox win, 2-1, and improve their record to 43-38 with a game-and-a-half lead in the Central on the Guardians.
The third and final game of the series is tomorrow before a blessed Monday free of Royals baseball.
