Seth Lugo Throws Complete Game, Royals Defeat White Sox 4-1
On Sunday, Seth Lugo was masterful on the mound, throwing a complete game shutout to lead the Kansas City Royals to a 4-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox. The win secured a series sweep for the Royals.
Lugo’s performance was nothing short of brilliant. The right-hander kept the White Sox hitters off balance all game long, scattering three hits over nine innings of one-run ball. He struck out six batters and did not issue a single walk, demonstrating precise control and efficiency. Amidst a tight AL Cy Young race, Lugo's ability to pitch deep into the game provided much-needed rest for the Royals' bullpen and put his endurance and skill on full display — proving that age is no obstacle at 34.
The game remained tightly contested until the bottom of the eighth inning when the Royals' offense erupted for four runs, breaking a 1-1 tie and putting the game out of reach for the White Sox.
Bobby Witt Jr. ignited the late-inning rally with a leadoff single to right field. Vinnie Pasquantino followed with a single to center, advancing Witt to third. Drew Waters then pinch-ran for Pasquantino. After Salvador Perez struck out on a foul tip, Hunter Renfroe delivered a clutch single to right, scoring Witt and moving Waters to third, giving the Royals a 2-1 lead.
Michael Massey struck out swinging for the second out, but Maikel Garcia came through with a single to left, scoring Waters and advancing Renfroe to second, extending the lead to 3-1. Dairon Blanco then singled to left, bringing home Renfroe and pushing Garcia to third, making it 4-1. Blanco stole second base before Kyle Isbel struck out to end the inning, but the damage was done.
Lugo closed out the game by retiring the last ten batters he faced. He used only 103 pitches (69 for strikes) to record his six strikeouts, leading the Royals to their first nine-inning complete game victory since Brad Keller achieved it on September 13, 2020.
With the victory, the Royals improve to 55-45, winning three straight games since the All-Star break thanks to a sweep of Chicago. They are now 5.0 games behind the Guardians in the AL Central and just 0.5 games behind the Twins for second place. Currently, they hold the third wild card spot. The Royals will stay at home for a three-game series with the Diamondbacks, beginning at 7:10 PM tomorrow.
