Live Updates: Royals at Cardinals (Game One)

The Royals-Cardinals series is finally set to get underway Wednesday.

Jun 27, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro (33) argues with third base umpire Tripp Gibson (73) about Nick Loftin (12) being called out at third base in the fifth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-USA TODAY Sports / Peter Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

After forecasted inclement weather forced a one-day delay to the series between the Royals (49-43) and St. Louis Cardinals (48-42), the two teams will do battle in a split doubleheader Wednesday at Busch Stadium.

Game one, scheduled for a 12:45 p.m. CT first pitch, features a matchup of dueling right-handers on the mound. For Kansas City, it'll be Alec Marsh, who enters with an even 6-6 record and 4.57 ERA. St. Louis is sending out Andre Pallante, who is 4-3 with an even 4.00 earned run average.

Both teams need big wins in this two-game set, and know that saving arms will be important for a long day ahead. Pallante has been a more than serviceable starter, starting seven of his 16 games this season. His starts in 2024 are two seasons removed from his most recent starts before that (2022), but he's done well. Marsh is now a starter by trade after effectively splitting duties between starting and relief last season (17 games, eight starts).

If St. Louis secures the sweep, it will push the Cardinals to the 50-win threshold. Kansas City only needs to win one of the two games to reach that mark.

Live Updates (most recent at top):

Bottom 9:

• Nootbaar lines out to end the game. McArthur gets the save. Kansas City has its 50th win of the season. FINAL: Royals 6, Cardinals 4.

• Arenado moves to second on defensive indifference.

• Arenado singles with two outs, bringing the tying run to the plate.

• Donovan strikes out swinging. Two gone.

• Goldschmidt hits a solo home run to right, his 13th this season. It's now a two-run game.

• Contreras strikes out swinging.

• James McArthur is on to try to close the game out on the mound.

Top 9:

• Hampson pops out to Goldschmidt. Last call coming for the Cardinals. Kansas City leads 6-3.

• Massey grounds out to Gorman.

• Melendez strikes out on three pitches.

• Giovanny Gallegos is on to pitch this inning for the Cardinals.

Bottom 8:

• Burleson pops out to end the inning. St. Louis adds no runs and is down 6-3.

• Winn pops out to Garcia.

• Pages singles to left.

• Gorman strikes out swinging.

• Sam Long is now in to pitch for the Royals.

Top 8:

• Fermin grounds out to retire the side, but Kansas City adds to its lead by two.

• Renfroe flies out. Two away.

• Perez singles to left field, scoring Witt Jr. and extending the lead to 6-3.

• Pasquantino hits a sacrifice fly to left. Garcia scores, and it's now a two-run lead for the Royals. 5-3.

• Witt Jr. singles. Garcia moves to third with no outs.

• Garcia singles to right on a 3-2 count.

Bottom 7:

• Nootbaar pops out to Massey. Three up, three down for Smith.

• Arenado grounds out.

• Donovan grounds out to Pasquantino.

• Will Smith is now on the mound for the Royals.

Top 7:

• Hampson strikes out swinging. Stretch time with the Royals up 4-3.

• Massey grounds out.

• Michael Massey will pinch-hit for Loftin.

• Pallante is pulled after 101 pitches. He went 6.1 innings, surrendering four runs, and was very good outside of that three-run fifth inning. Chris Roycroft will be the new pitcher.

• Melendez lines out.

• Pallante is back out to start the seventh with 93 pitches.

Bottom 6:

• Goldschmidt strikes out swinging. 101 pitches in six innings for Alec Marsh, and another 1, 2, 3 frame. Kansas City still in front by one.

• Contreras strikes out swinging.

• Burleson grounds out to second.

Top 6:

• Fermin strikes out looking, but Kansas City is in front for the first time today, 4-3.

• Renfroe grounds out to third base.

• Perez breaks the tie with a solo home run, his 15th of the year. The Royals now lead 4-3.

• Pasquantino grounds out.

Bottom 5:

• Winn grounds out. Marsh appears to have found his stride through five.

• Pages strikes out swinging.

• Gorman grounds out to Marsh.

Top 5:

• Witt Jr. strikes out on a foul tip, ending a three-run inning for the Royals that featured three doubles and led to the game being tied 3-all.

• Garcia strikes out swinging. Two down. Hampson steals third.

• Hampson ties the game up with a double to center field. The big hit comes from the bottom of the order. 3-3.

• Loftin grounds out, and critically, there's no advance of the runners. One out.

• Melendez hits a double that scores Renfroe and sends Fermin to third. Runners on second and third. Still nobody out. The Cardinals' lead has shrunk to 3-1. Three straight hits and two doubles for the visitors.

• Fermin works the count full then singles on the seventh pitch of the at-bat. Runners on the corners with nobody out for Kansas City. First real opportunity of the game for the Royals.

• Renfroe starts the half-inning with a ground-rule double. He's 2-2 thus far.

Bottom 4:

• Nootbaar strikes out swinging. A badly needed clean inning for Marsh. The score remains 3-0 Cardinals.

• Arenado flies out to Hampson.

• Donovan pops out to Perez.

Top 4:

• Perez goes down swinging to retire the side. Nothing on the scoreboard for the Royals.

• Pasquantino strikes out looking.

• Witt Jr. pops out to Arenado.

Bottom 3:

• Contreras lines out, and Goldschmidt strikes out looking, but St. Louis extends the lead. Inning over.

• Burleson hits a two-run home run to right center. It is now a 3-0 Cardinal lead.

• Winn flies out.

• Pedro Pages draws a leadoff walk on five pitches.

Top 3:

• Garcia grounds out to second. Another 1, 2, 3 inning for Pallante. No score for the Royals.

• Garrett Hampson grounds out to third base.

• Nick Loftin lines out to right.

Bottom 2:

• Nolan Gorman strikes out swinging. Two Ks in the inning for Marsh, but the solo home run by Arenado as well. Cardinals 1, Royals 0.

• Lars Nootbaar grounds out.

• Nolan Arenado gets the Cardinals on the board with a solo home run to left center field. St. Louis 1, Kansas City 0.

• Brendan Donovan strikes out swinging.

Top 2:

• MJ Melendez grounds out to retire the side. No score.

• Freddy Fermin grounds out, but Renfroe is now in scoring position at second.

• Hunter Renfroe sends a line-drive single to left. First Royals hit of the day.

• Salvador Perez flies out to Burleson.

Bottom 1:

• Paul Goldschmidt goes down looking to end a scoreless first inning.

• Willson Contreras gets the first hit of the day for either team with a two-out single.

• Alec Burleson grounds out on the first-base side. Two gone.

• Masyn Winn grounds out to his counterpart, Witt Jr., for the first Cardinal out of the game.

Top 1:

• Vinnie Pasquantino grounds out on a pitch well below the zone, ending the top half of the first inning in 1, 2, 3 fashion.

• Bobby Witt Jr. grounds out to second base.

• Maikel Garcia flies out to right to start the day.

Pregame:

• Kansas City lineup: 1. Maikel Garcia, second base; 2. Bobby Witt Jr., shortstop; 3. Vinnie Pasquantino, first base; 4. Salvador Perez, catcher; 5. Hunter Renfroe, right field; 6. Freddy Fermin, designated hitter; 7. MJ Melendez, left field; 8. Nick Loftin, third base; 9. Garrett Hampson, center field; P: Alec Marsh (R)

• St. Louis lineup: 1. Masyn Winn, shortstop; 2. Alec Burleson, right field; 3. Willson Contreras, designated hitter; 4. Paul Goldschmidt, first base; 5. Brendan Donovan, left field; 6. Nolan Arenado, third base; 7. Lars Nootbaar, center field; 8. Nolan Gorman, second base; 9. Pedro Pages, catcher; P: Andre Pallante (R)