WASHINGTON (AP) — Kyle Isbel snapped Kansas City's 27-inning scoreless streak by sprinting home on a throwing error in the 10th inning, Cole Ragans gave up three hits in six innings, and the Royals held on to the second American League wild card with a 1-0 victory over the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.
Isbel, the Royals' automatic runner to begin the 10th, reached third on Bobby Witt Jr.’s infield single to short and crossed the plate on Nasim Nuñez's low throw to first to end Kansas City's seven-game slide.
“It’s a little bit of a sigh of relief," Ragans said. “We knew it’s going to come down to probably a game like this to get us back on track.”
Kansas City and Detroit are both 83-74 but the Royals own the head-to-head tiebreaker. Both teams are two games up on Minnesota.
After three games without a hit with a runner in scoring position, the Royals were 2 for 11 in that situation Tuesday, though neither plated a run.
“There’s definitely frustration, but I think tonight it was more like, disbelief,” said Royals manager Matt Quatraro. “We know we’re too good a team to have that continue for a long period of time.”
Kyle Finnegan (3-7) escaped the 10th without further damage, but the Nationals lost for the seventh time in eight games.
“Our defense was good until that one play,” said Nats manager Dave Martinez. “It really came down to one play, and execution, and not being able to hit the ball.”
Lucas Erceg worked a clean 10th for his 12th save and ninth with the Royals, striking out Joey Gallo for the final out after the Nationals slugger hooked a 3-2 offering just to the foul side of the right-field foul pole.
"You can never count your chickens there that you’re going to strand the runner," Quatraro said of Erceg, whom Kansas City acquired in a trade from Oakland at this year's deadline. “But you certainly like your chances.”
Ragans struck out six in his fourth consecutive outing of six innings or more to lower his September ERA to 1.08.
Kris Bubic stranded a runner on third in the seventh, Sam Long pitched a scoreless eighth and Angel Zerpa (2-0) threw a perfect ninth to get the game to extra innings.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Royals: RHP Hunter Harvey (back) will be shut down for the season. The reliever hasn't appeared since Aug. 4, and will get another medical opinion. “He's going to go see someone in Dallas to see if they can find something different, but by all accounts, we think it's just going to be rest” that he needs, said Quatraro. ... RHP James McArthur (right elbow), who last pitched on Sept. 16, also won't return this season. ... RHP Michael Lorenzen (left hamstring) remains on track to return from the injured list to make Wednesday’s start, Quatraro said.
Nationals: Recalled OF Stone Garrett from Triple-A Rochester and placed INF Andrés Chaparro on the paternity list.
UP NEXT
Lorenzen (7-6, 3.43 ERA) will try to continue his excellent form since joining the Royals from Texas at the deadline. He has a 1.85 ERA and 2-0 record in five starts with Kansas City. He'll face rookie lefty DJ Herz (4-8, 4.30).