Royals take advantage of error in 10th inning to defeat Nationals 1-0 and maintain 2nd place in AL wild-card race

The Kansas City Royals put an end to their 27-inning scoreless streak when Kyle Isbel scored on a throwing error in the 10th inning, securing a 1-0 victory over the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night. Cole Ragans had a strong pitching performance, allowing only three hits in six innings, which helped the Royals maintain their position in the second American League wild card spot.
Isbel, who started as the automatic runner in the 10th inning, advanced to third base on Bobby Witt Jr.’s infield single and then scored on Nasim Nuñez’s errant throw to first base. This crucial run broke the tie and ended Kansas City’s seven-game losing streak. Both the Kansas City Royals and the Detroit Tigers have an 83-74 record, but the Royals currently hold the head-to-head tiebreaker, keeping them ahead in the wild card race. They are both 1 1/2 games ahead of the Minnesota Twins.
Kyle Finnegan managed to prevent further damage in the 10th inning, while Lucas Erceg secured the win with his 12th save of the season and ninth since joining the Royals. Ragans delivered an impressive performance, striking out six batters and maintaining a low September ERA of 1.08.
In other news, the Royals announced that RHP Hunter Harvey will be shut down for the season due to a back injury and will seek further medical evaluation. Meanwhile, RHP James McArthur and RHP Michael Lorenzen will not be returning this season due to their respective injuries. Lorenzen is set to make a comeback from a left hamstring injury and is scheduled to start for the Royals on Wednesday.
On the Nationals’ side, OF Stone Garrett was recalled from Triple-A Rochester, while INF Andrés Chaparro was placed on the paternity list.
In the next game, Michael Lorenzen, with a 7-6 record and a 3.43 ERA, will aim to continue his strong performance since joining the Royals. He will be facing rookie left-handed pitcher DJ Herz, who has a 4-8 record and a 4.30 ERA.