KANSAS CITY — Hoping to avoid another gut-punch loss during a week in which they can’t afford any more, who else would the Royals turn to other than their two franchise players?
Salvador Perez smashed a game-tying solo home run in the seventh inning Thursday night, and Bobby Witt Jr. followed in the eighth with the go-ahead blast that sent the Royals to a 4-3 win over the Angels at Kauffman Stadium.
It is hard to understate how important this win was for the Royals, who were coming off two disappointing losses and entered Thursday 1-4 on this homestand with series losses to the Tigers and Angels.
But Kansas City (71-69) is still very much alive in the playoff push, now sitting two games back of an American League Wild Card spot with Seattle (73-67) and Texas (72-69) both off on Thursday. The Mariners hold the third and final WC spot, while the Rangers are the first team out.
Meanwhile, the Rays (71-69) beat the Guardians on Thursday to keep pace with the Royals at two games back.
It’s all very murky and setting up to be a chaotic finish in this final month of the regular season. That’s why all the Royals can focus on is winning as many games as they can — and why Thursday’s comeback was all the more important.
