How Royals came up short in Thursday’s series-finale loss to the New York Mets
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Michael Wacha allowed six runs and was charged with the loss after 4⅔ innings pitched.
- The Mets scored five runs in the fifth inning, chasing Wacha.
- New York won the series as the Royals fell 7-3 and lost the last two games.
Veteran starting pitcher Michael Wacha is lauded for his consistency on the mound. If nothing else, he is typically going to provide the Kansas City Royals with a quality start.
He has done it 12 times this season — tops in the American League.
However, Wacha isn’t immune to having a bad start. On Thursday, he was knocked around by his former team as the Royals fell 7-3 to the New York Mets at Citi Field.
The Royals gave Wacha early run support. In the first inning, Lane Thomas was ready for a first-pitch heater and belted a leadoff home run. It was his seventh homer of the season and gave the Royals a 1-0 lead.
Wacha navigated the Mets’ lineup with precision early. He worked a scoreless first before allowing an RBI double to first baseman Jacob Young.
The Royals would give Wacha the lead right back — Bobby Witt Jr. hit a solo homer of his own in the fourth inning. Witt is now hitting .333 (7-for-21) during his five-game hitting streak.
With the lead in hand, the Royals needed a shutdown inning from Wacha. Instead, the Mets scored five times in the fifth.
Outfielder Tyrone Taylor began the inning with a solo homer, sending an 89.3 MPH cutter over the left-center wall. And then the Mets sprayed singles around the outfield.
Brett Baty and A.J. Ewing singled in succession. Then Mets star Juan Soto walked to load the bases. This led to a Bo Bichette sacrifice fly and an RBI single from Carson Benge.
The Mets got another run on Thomas’ throwing error. In total, the host team recorded five hits in chasing Wacha from the game.
Wacha was charged with six runs. He suffered his seventh loss and lasting just 4 2/3 innings.
The Royals scored a run in the seventh when Jac Caglianone doubled home Nick Loftin from second base. But the Mets got that run right back as Soto blasted his 21st homer off right-handed reliever Beck Way.
New York improved to 40-54 and won the series. The Royals dropped the last two games.
The Royals didn’t have many chances with runners in scoring position. This was due in part to Mets starter Sean Manaea posting a quality start of his own.
The 2013 Royals draft pick — they selected him No. 34 overall that year — allowed three runs across seven innings. He picked up his second win while striking out six and walking one.
The Royals now head to Baltimore for their final series before the All-Star break.
What’s next: Royals right-hander Luinder Avila (4-3, 5.05 ERA) will start Friday night opposite Orioles right-hander Brandon Young (7-2, 3.38 ERA). First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. Central Time at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
