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Kansas City Royals at Pittsburgh Pirates

MLBSeptember 20, 2026PNC Park72°F, partly cloudy, wind 7 mph out to CF

RoyalsKansas CityKC67-89

Royals 3, Pirates 4

Final
PiratesPittsburghPITWon79-77
Score by inning
Team123456789RHE
KC100000200391
PIT00010102–481

W Carmen MlodzinskiL Nate PearsonSV Mason Montgomery

Flores Jr. hits go-ahead, 2-run homer in 8th as Pirates rally for 4-3 win and series sweep of RoyalsRafael Flores Jr. hit the go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth inning to help the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 4-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday and complete a series sweep.Recap · ESPN

Scoring

Play-by-play

In order

Top 1st

  1.  Maikel Garcia grounds out, second baseman Brandon Lowe to first baseman Spencer Horwitz.
  2.  Bobby Witt Jr. singles on a ground ball to second baseman Brandon Lowe.
  3.  Jac Caglianone singles on a ground ball to right fielder Jake Mangum. Bobby Witt Jr. to 3rd.KC 57%
  4.  Salvador Perez singles on a ground ball to center fielder Oneil Cruz. Bobby Witt Jr. scores. Jac Caglianone to 2nd.KC 65%
  5.  Michael Massey strikes out swinging.
  6.  Nick Loftin grounds out softly to pitcher Lake Bachar.

Bot 1st

  1.  Konnor Griffin flies out sharply to center fielder Tyler Tolbert.
  2.  Brandon Lowe walks.
  3.  Bryan Reynolds singles on a line drive to right fielder Nick Loftin. Brandon Lowe to 2nd.
  4.  Oneil Cruz pops out to shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. on the infield fly rule.KC 57%
  5.  Nick Gonzales flies out to right fielder Nick Loftin.

Top 2nd

  1.  John Rave strikes out swinging.
  2.  Luke Maile called out on strikes.
  3.  Tyler Tolbert grounds out, shortstop Konnor Griffin to first baseman Spencer Horwitz.

Bot 2nd

  1.  Ryan O'Hearn strikes out swinging.
  2.  Rafael Flores Jr. doubles (6) on a sharp line drive to center fielder Tyler Tolbert.KC 54%
  3.  Spencer Horwitz strikes out swinging.
  4.  Jake Mangum lines out to left fielder John Rave.

Top 3rd

  1.  Maikel Garcia strikes out swinging.
  2.  Bobby Witt Jr. called out on strikes.
  3.  Jac Caglianone singles on a ground ball to right fielder Jake Mangum.
  4.  Salvador Perez grounds out, second baseman Brandon Lowe to first baseman Spencer Horwitz.

Bot 3rd

  1.  Konnor Griffin lines out sharply to left fielder John Rave.
  2.  Brandon Lowe strikes out swinging.
  3.  Bryan Reynolds flies out to center fielder Tyler Tolbert.

Top 4th

  1.  Michael Massey lines out to center fielder Oneil Cruz.
  2.  Nick Loftin singles on a ground ball to left fielder Bryan Reynolds.
  3.  John Rave grounds out, second baseman Brandon Lowe to first baseman Spencer Horwitz. Nick Loftin to 3rd.
  4.  Luke Maile strikes out swinging.

Bot 4th

  1.  Oneil Cruz homers (20) on a fly ball to center field.PIT 57%
  2.  Nick Gonzales bunt pops out softly to pitcher Michael Wacha.
  3.  Ryan O'Hearn pops out to shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.
  4.  Rafael Flores Jr. strikes out on automatic strike.

Top 5th

  1.  Tyler Tolbert pops out to third baseman Nick Gonzales.
  2.  Maikel Garcia grounds out, third baseman Nick Gonzales to first baseman Spencer Horwitz.
  3.  Bobby Witt Jr. lines out to right fielder Jake Mangum.

Bot 5th

  1.  Spencer Horwitz lines out to first baseman Salvador Perez.
  2.  Jake Mangum walks.
  3.  Konnor Griffin reaches on a ground ball to third baseman Maikel Garcia. Official Scorer ruling pending. Jake Mangum to 2nd.PIT 63%
  4.  Brandon Lowe pops out to third baseman Maikel Garcia on the infield fly rule.PIT 57%
  5.  Bryan Reynolds strikes out swinging.PIT 52%

Top 6th

  1.  Jac Caglianone lines out sharply to left fielder Bryan Reynolds.
  2.  Salvador Perez singles on a line drive to center fielder Oneil Cruz.
  3.  Michael Massey grounds into a double play, second baseman Brandon Lowe to shortstop Konnor Griffin to first baseman Spencer Horwitz. Salvador Perez out at 2nd. Michael Massey out at 1st.PIT 57%

Bot 6th

  1.  Oneil Cruz flies out sharply to center fielder Tyler Tolbert.
  2.  Nick Gonzales flies out to right fielder Nick Loftin.
  3.  Ryan O'Hearn walks.
  4.  Rafael Flores Jr. walks. Ryan O'Hearn to 2nd.
  5.  Spencer Horwitz singles on a line drive to center fielder Tyler Tolbert. Ryan O'Hearn scores. Rafael Flores Jr. to 2nd.PIT 73%
  6.  Jake Mangum called out on strikes.

Top 7th

  1.  Nick Loftin pops out to first baseman Spencer Horwitz.
  2.  John Rave singles on a soft bunt ground ball to third baseman Nick Gonzales.
  3.  Luke Maile grounds out softly, pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski to first baseman Spencer Horwitz. John Rave to 2nd.
  4.  Vinnie Pasquantino homers (14) on a fly ball to right center field. John Rave scores.KC 61%
  5.  Maikel Garcia grounds out, shortstop Konnor Griffin to first baseman Spencer Horwitz.

Bot 7th

  1.  Konnor Griffin strikes out swinging.
  2.  Brandon Lowe reaches on a ground ball to shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. Official Scorer ruling pending.KC 60%
  3.  Bryan Reynolds walks. Brandon Lowe to 2nd.KC 52%
  4.  Oneil Cruz grounds out to first baseman Salvador Perez. Brandon Lowe to 3rd. Bryan Reynolds to 2nd.KC 58%
  5.  Nick Gonzales strikes out swinging.KC 68%

Top 8th

  1.  Bobby Witt Jr. grounds out, third baseman Nick Gonzales to first baseman Spencer Horwitz.
  2.  Jac Caglianone walks.
  3.  Salvador Perez strikes out swinging.
  4.  Michael Massey grounds out to first baseman Spencer Horwitz.

Bot 8th

  1.  Ryan O'Hearn singles on a ground ball to center fielder Kyle Isbel.KC 53%
  2.  Rafael Flores Jr. homers (10) on a fly ball to left field. Ronny Simon scores.PIT 81%
  3.  Royals challenged (pitch result), call on the field was overturned: Spencer Horwitz called out on strikes.
  4.  Jake Mangum grounds out, first baseman Salvador Perez to pitcher Nate Pearson.
  5.  Konnor Griffin doubles (14) on a sharp line drive to left fielder John Rave.
  6.  Brandon Lowe grounds out softly, pitcher Anthony Gose to first baseman Salvador Perez.

Top 9th

  1.  Nick Loftin grounds out, shortstop Konnor Griffin to first baseman Spencer Horwitz.PIT 82%
  2.  John Rave strikes out swinging.
  3.  Luke Maile doubles (2) on a fly ball to right fielder Jake Mangum. Luke Maile to 3rd. Luke Maile advances to 3rd, on a fielding error by right fielder Jake Mangum.PIT 79%
  4.  Isaac Collins flies out to right fielder Jake Mangum.PIT 85%

Top 1st

  1.  KC 1, PIT 0Salvador Perez singles on a ground ball to center fielder Oneil Cruz. Bobby Witt Jr. scores. Jac Caglianone to 2nd.KC 65%

Bot 4th

  1.  KC 1, PIT 1Oneil Cruz homers (20) on a fly ball to center field.PIT 57%

Bot 6th

  1.  KC 1, PIT 2Spencer Horwitz singles on a line drive to center fielder Tyler Tolbert. Ryan O'Hearn scores. Rafael Flores Jr. to 2nd.PIT 73%

Top 7th

  1.  KC 3, PIT 2Vinnie Pasquantino homers (14) on a fly ball to right center field. John Rave scores.KC 61%

Bot 8th

  1.  KC 3, PIT 4Rafael Flores Jr. homers (10) on a fly ball to left field. Ronny Simon scores.PIT 81%

Win probability

Bot 8th · Biggest swing #1 · KC 3–4 PIT

Rafael Flores Jr. homers (10) on a fly ball to left field. Ronny Simon scores.

See it in the scoring summary
PIT 81%PIT +34 pts

Game leaders

RoyalsKansas City

PiratesPittsburgh

Team stats

  • KC 9HitsPIT 8
  • KC 1Home runsPIT 2
  • KC 1WalksPIT 5
  • KC 8StrikeoutsPIT 9
  • KC 12Left on basePIT 18
  • KC 1Stolen basesPIT 0
  • KC 1ErrorsPIT 1
All team stats
  • KC 3RPIT 4
  • KC 12bPIT 2
  • KC 3RbiPIT 4
  • KC 35AbPIT 33
  • KC 8.0IpPIT 9.0
  • KC 8HPIT 9
  • KC 4RPIT 3
  • KC 4ErPIT 3
  • KC 5BbPIT 1
  • KC 9SoPIT 8
  • KC 2HrPIT 1
  • KC 182PPIT 138
  • KC 3APIT 11
  • KC 24PoPIT 27
  • KC 28TcPIT 39

Box score

BattingABRHRBIHRBBSOAVG
Maikel Garcia 3B4000001.258
Bobby Witt Jr. SS4110001.279
Jac Caglianone DH3020010.282
Salvador Perez 1B4021001.227
Michael Massey 2B4000001.274
Nick Loftin RF4010000.240
John Rave LF4110002.228
Luke Maile C4010002.171
Tyler Tolbert CF2000000.288
Vinnie Pasquantino PH1112100.244
Kyle Isbel CF0000000.218
Isaac Collins PH1000000.217
Totals35393118

2B: Maile.HR: Pasquantino.RBI: Perez, Pasquantino 2.SB: Loftin.LOB: 12.

PitchingIPHRERBBSOPERA
Michael Wacha5.2422451133.33
Nolan Hoffman0.10000153.86
Connor Thomas0.210011268.85
Jose Cuas0.10000172.21
Nate Pearson L0.232201253.43
Anthony Gose0.10000060.00

Video

0:11Nick Gonzales flies out to right fielder Nick Loftin.0:11Brandon Lowe's nice inning-ending play0:14Salvador Perez's RBI single0:07Lake Bachar strikes out Michael Massey
All 33 clips

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