Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. Leads Charge in 7-1 Victory Over Reds
Bobby Witt Jr. delivered a stellar performance Friday night, homering, doubling, and singling to raise his major league-leading batting average to .352, as the Kansas City Royals powered past the Cincinnati Reds 7-1 in the opener of their interleague series.
Witt, who continues his AL MVP push, launched his 25th home run of the season in the fourth inning, sending a four-seam fastball from Nick Martinez 430 feet into the upper deck. He continued to shine, doubling and scoring in the sixth, and adding an infield single in the seventh. Witt’s presence was so imposing that the Reds intentionally walked him with two outs in the ninth, only for him to trot home on Vinnie Pasquantino’s 18th homer.
Michael Lorenzen (6-6), making his third start for Kansas City since being acquired in a July 29 trade with Texas, pitched 5 2/3 strong innings. He allowed just one run on two hits while striking out three, earning his first win with his new team. Lorenzen exited after 83 pitches, setting the stage for the Royals’ bullpen to shut down Cincinnati’s offense.
Kansas City’s offense was relentless, with Salvador Perez, Adam Frazier, and Freddie Fermin also driving in runs. The Royals' victory snapped the Reds' four-game winning streak, keeping them at bay throughout the night.
On the mound, Kansas City’s bullpen was effective, with Kris Bubic, James McArthur, Sam Long, and Carlos Hernández combining for 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Bubic and McArthur each recorded holds, while Hernandez struck out three in his inning of work.
The Royals and Reds will continue their series tomorrow evening at Great American Ball Park, with first pitch scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT.
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MATHEY GIBSON