Pinch hitter Nick Loftin hit a game-tying single in the seventh inning before scoring the go-ahead run on Maikel Garcia’s double as the visiting Kansas City Royals edged the Cleveland Guardians 4-3 on Wednesday.
The Guardians (74-71) had their five-game win streak snapped and fell three behind the Mariners, who are in the third and final American League wild-card spot. Seattle was due to play host to the St. Louis Cardinals later Wednesday night.
Kansas City (74-72) moved within 3 1/2 of Seattle, while the Texas Rangers are one out. The Royals had lost their previous three, including two in Cleveland by a combined margin of 12-2.
Royals reliever Luinder Avila (1-0) tossed two scoreless innings for his first big-league win. Carlos Estevez pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 39th save, which leads the majors.
Guardians reliever Tim Herrin (5-4) gave up two runs, one hit and one walk while only getting one out. Hunter Gaddis replaced him and allowed Garcia’s go-ahead smash off the wall in left.
Bo Naylor put the Guardians in front 3-2 in the fourth, singling in Angel Martinez. Kansas City had pulled even in the third on Vinnie Pasquantino’s single that plated Bobby Witt Jr.
Guardians starter Logan Allen went five innings, allowing two runs on seven hits with two strikeouts. The left-hander did not issue a walk, but he extended his winless streak to seven starts since beating the Colorado Rockies on July 29.
Kyle Manzardo gave Cleveland a 2-1 advantage in the first with a two-run homer off Jonathan Bowlan, scoring rookie George Valera, who had walked.
In the top half of the inning, Jonathan India singled off the glove of second baseman Daniel Schneemann to plate Garcia. It was the Royals’ initial lead in the four-game series that concludes Thursday.
Bowlan, who is in his eighth stint with Kansas City this season, made his initial start after 26 relief appearances. The right-hander gave up two runs on three hits in two innings, striking out three with one walk.
