Mar 29, 2025

⚾ Garcia's homer and Witt’s go-ahead RBI double lead Royals past Guardians

Posted Mar 29, 2025 11:30 PM
Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia circles the bases after hitting a game-tying home run against the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday, March 29, 2025 in Kansas City, Mo. (Kansas City Royals photo)
Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia circles the bases after hitting a game-tying home run against the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday, March 29, 2025 in Kansas City, Mo. (Kansas City Royals photo)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. hit a go-ahead RBI double in the seventh inning after Maikel Garcia tied it with a homer four batters earlier to help lead the Kansas City Royals over the Cleveland Guardians 4-3 on Saturday.

Garcia led off the seventh with a 405-foot homer off Paul Sewald (0-1). Cavan Biggio followed with a single and was replaced by pinch-runner Dairon Blanco, who stole second. With two outs, Witt lined a double to left to score Blanco with the go-ahead run.

Guardians six-time All-Star José Ramírez left in the sixth inning with a sprained right wrist after he was hurt in the third inning while attempting to steal second base. Gabriel Arias replaced Ramírez at third base.

Bo Naylor gave the Indians a 1-0 lead on an RBI single in the second, and Carlos Santana scored Steven Kwan on a sacrifice fly in the third.

Kwan's solo homer in the fifth put Cleveland up 3-1.

Royals starter Seth Lugo threw five innings and allowed three earned runs and four hits and struck out four with three walks. Daniel Lynch IV (1-0) followed Lugo and threw two perfect innings for the win. Carlos Estévez walked one and struck out one in the ninth to earn his first save for Kansas City.

Guardians starter Gavin Williams allowed two runs and four hits in five innints with one walk and two strikeouts.

Salvador Perez had RBI singles in the fourth and sixth innings.

Key moment

The Royals' comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning was powered by Garcia's homer and Witt's double.

Key stat

The top four hitters for Kansas City — Jonathan India, Witt, Vinnie Pasquantino and Perez — went 5 for 14 with five RBIs.

Up next

The Guardians send RHP Tanner Bibee to the mound against RHP Michael Wacha for Kansas City in Sunday’s series finale.