Royals Rally to Beat Athletics 3-2, Fermin and Witt Jr. Shine with Homers

The Kansas City Royals secured a massive 3-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Thursday, with Bobby Witt Jr. delivering the go-ahead homer in the eighth inning.

Jun 20, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Kansas City Royals designated hitter Freddy Fermin (34) with teammate MJ Melendez (1) celebrates his solo home run against the Oakland Athletics during the second inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. / © D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Royals avoided a three-game sweep by the Oakland Athletics with a 3-2 victory on Thursday, thanks to standout performances from Freddy Fermin and Bobby Witt Jr.

Fermin had a stellar game, hitting two home runs and adding a single for his first three-hit game of the season. Witt Jr. contributed the go-ahead homer in the eighth inning, his 12th of the year. The win was crucial for the Royals, who had lost the first two games of the series.

The Athletics fought back in the bottom of the seventh inning, with Lawrence Butler reaching on a fielding error and Zack Gelof following up with a mammoth two-run homer to center field, tying the game 2-2.

However, the Royals quickly responded in the top of the eighth inning when Witt Jr. crushed a solo home run to left field, giving the Royals a 3-2 lead.

Despite Gelof's homer for the Athletics, Kansas City's pitching held strong, with starter Seth Lugo delivering a solid performance. Lugo pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and six hits while striking out eight.

The Athletics had a chance to tie or win the game in the ninth inning, putting runners on first and second with one out. However, Royals reliever Chris Stratton shut down Oakland's rally, securing his fourth save of the season.

After their win against the Athletics, the Royals are now gearing up for a three-game series against the Rangers, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CT tomorrow in Texas.

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