KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tommy Pham hit his first home run for Kansas City, a tiebreaking, three-run drive in a four-run fourth inning, and the Royals stopped a season-high, seven-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday night.
Seth Lugo (15-8) allowed one run and five hits in seven innings. He is one win behind Detroit’s Tarik Skubal and Atlanta’s Chris Sale, who are tied for the major league lead. Lugo is 11-1 with a 1.40 ERA in 15 starts with four days’ rest.
Kansas City (76-65) closed within one percentage point of Minnesota (75-64) for the second AL wild card spot. The Royals and Twins are both 4 1/2 games behind AL Central-leading Cleveland (80-60).
Royals manager Matt Quatraro returned after missing two games following the death of his mother.
“Really happy for those guys,” Quatraro said. “Nobody wants to lose, and when you string a whole week of games together where you don’t win any of them, it wears on you, mentally, physically. It makes it tougher to believe in yourself, so however it had to happen ... it’s good to get a win.”
During the seven-game skid, the Royals had scored three runs or fewer in six straight games, the team’s longest such streak since Aug. 15-21, 2022. The Royals had scored two runs or fewer in five straight, their longest span since June 7-13, 2018.
Pham, claimed off waivers from St. Louis on Saturday, broke a 1-1 tie with his homer off Ben Lively (11-9), who allowed seven hits in four innings. The drive deep into the left-field seats was Pham’s eighth home run this season and gave Pham his first RBIs with the Royals.
“It just seems like we’ve had some chances and we just couldn’t come through with the big hit until tonight,” Pham said. “It felt very good because I’ve been having a hard time barreling up balls to the pull side, and today it was something I worked on, and it’s even better to see it translate into the game.”
Quatraro said it was a relief to have someone come through.
“Somebody’s got to let the pressure off, and he did,” Quatraro said. “It was nice to tie it up ... but you’re trying to play for a big inning there. It took till two outs to do it but that was a big, big hit for Tommy."
Paul DeJong reached on an infield single, Robbie Grossman singled for his first Royals hit since he was claimed from Texas on Saturday, and Michael Massey hit a tying single.
Lugo got help from DeJong when the third baseman made a diving grab on Daniel Schneeman’s sharp grounder in the hole in the fifth. Lugo also benefited from three double plays, one started by the pitcher
“It looked he really had a good curveball. He got in on the lefties with the cutter and when they were looking in, he softened it up away,” Quatraro said. “Pretty good soft contact night, I would say, the double plays, just had it all going.”
Lugo had a loss and no-decision since beating the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 19.
“I thought I threw the ball well,” Lugo said. “I thought I was using both sides of the plate with my fastball and breaking balls and kept the hitters off balance. I used a pretty good mix out there tonight.”
José Ramírez put Cleveland ahead 1-0 in the third with a two-out bloop single.
Kris Bubic struck out the side in the eighth and Lucas Erceg worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his ninth save and sixth with the Royals.
Trainer's room
Guardians: 1B Josh Naylor did not play after leaving Tuesday’s game with a back spasm.
Royals: OF Hunter Renfroe (hamstring) was 0 for 4 with a sacrifice fly as began a rehab assignment with Double-A Northwest Arkansas. He has been on the 10-day IL since Aug. 25.
Up next
Guardians: LHP Matthew Boyd (1-1, 2.38) starts Friday’s series opener at the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Royals: LHP Cole Ragans (10-9, 3.46) starts Friday’s series opener against Minnesota and RHP Zebby Matthews (1-2, 7.41).