With MLB playoffs at stake, KC Royals get shut out by Braves, eye Twins-O’s on TV
The Kansas City Royals ran into a command performance from Atlanta Braves left-hander Max Fried on Friday night.
Fried was in rare form as his team clung to slim playoff hopes. The Braves’ starting pitcher silenced the Royals across 8 2/3 innings, allowing just three hits and striking out nine as KC fell 3-0 at Truist Park.
“He pitched,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said simply. “We knew it was going to be tough. You know, watching him and seeing him over the years, he has got multiple pitches that are plus-pitches. He uses them all and very rarely falls into any sort of patterns. And he located tonight.”
With that outcome, the Royals (85-75) were awaiting the results of Friday’s ongoing game between the host Minnesota Twins and Baltimore Orioles. The Royals have a magic number of one game to clinch a spot in the MLB postseason.
One more loss by the Twins would send the Royals back to the playoffs for the first time since they won the 2015 World Series. Another AL Central team, the Detroit Tigers, advanced to the playoffs earlier Friday evening.
Baltimore indeed beat the Twins 7-2, sending the Royals on to the playoffs. They’ll open next week with an AL Wild Card series at an opponent to be determined. KC could potentially overtake the AL’s second wild-card seed by the time this weekend — and the regular-season — is done.
(And a final footnote out of Minneapolis: It was former Royals first baseman Ryan O’Hearn who got Baltimore on the board first with a two-run homer.)
Earlier here in Atlanta, the Braves scored against Royals starting pitcher Brady Singer. In the fourth inning, Braves catcher Sean Murphy hit a two-run homer over the left-field wall.
Murphy now has 10 homers this season. He entered Friday’s game hitting a meager .079 (3-for-38) in September.
“Obviously, I tried to get that a little bit more off the plate there,” Singer said of Murphy’s homer. “I kept it in the (strike) zone and he put a good swing on it.”
Singer allowed two Atlanta runs in his six innings. He registered five strikeouts and issued three walks.
The Royals had a tough time against Fried in their turns at the plate. The two-time All-Star was dialed in from the first pitch of the night. He retired 10 consecutive batters, including five on strikeouts, to open the game.
“He pitched up and he pitched down,” Quatraro said. “That was masterful pitching.”
Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. collected KC first hit in the fourth inning. He beat out an infield single to reach base safely. KC had just five baserunners all night as Fried pitched into the ninth inning and picked up his 11th win of the season (11-10).
“I feel like he located pretty well all night and worked both sides of the plate,” Royals second baseman Michael Massey said. “(He) just had good stuff and changed the timing of his leg kick. He was obviously tough to get tonight.”
The Braves improved to 87-71. Atlanta is in a tight race with the Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets for the final National League wild-card spots.
The Royals remain a game behind the Detroit Tigers in the AL wild-card race. The Tigers hold the second of those three AL wild-card spots, but again, that could change with the outcome of remaining games Saturday and Sunday.
“We will keep eyes on it and see what happens,” Singer said.
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Here are more notable aspects of Friday’s Royals-Braves game:
Will Smith throws live bullpen Saturday
The Royals will get a closer look at injured reliever Will Smith on Saturday. He is scheduled to face live hitters at Truist Park as he recovers from a bout of low-back spasms.
Smith has been sidelined since Aug. 26. This will be his second live batting practice and he is scheduled to face selected hitters. Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino, also recovering from an injury, is slated to hit during Smith’s session.
Pasquantino is sidelined following right-thumb surgery. He also took live batting practice Thursday at Nationals Park in Washington D.C. during the Royals’ three-game series there.
What’s next on the KC Royals’ schedule?
The Royals continue their final regular-season-ending series against the Braves on Saturday. KC right-handed pitcher Seth Lugo is expected to start the evening game.
Lugo owns a 2.20 ERA in his last five starts. He will make his career-high 33rd start of the season. The Braves had not announced a starter for Saturday’s game as of Friday night.
This story was originally published September 27, 2024 at 8:34 PM.
