KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — No. 9 hitter Brayan Rocchio drove in four runs and the Cleveland Guardians beat Kansas City 7-1 Tuesday night, extending the Royals’ losing streak to a season-high seven.
Kansas City was held to two runs or fewer for the fifth straight game and managed just four hits. The Royals’ losing streak is its longest since a 10-game skid from June 5-16 last year.
Since tying Cleveland for the AL Central lead on Aug. 27, the Royals (76-65) have dropped 5 1/2 games behind the Guardians (80-59), who have won five of six. Kansas City maintained a 4 1/2-game lead for the final AL wild card.
Royals manager Matt Quatraro missed his second game after the death of his mother Dorann Stagnitta. Bench coach Paul Hoover served as acting manager.
Cleveland first baseman Josh Naylor left for a pinch runner after singling in the eighth inning because of lower back tightness.
Steven Kwan had a two-run single for the Guardians and Kyle Manzardo had three hits.
Tanner Bibee (11-6) allowed one run and two hits in six innings — just the 39th time a Cleveland starter pitched six or more innings. He is 7-3 with a 2.71 ERA in 14 road starts, and the Guardians are 20-7 in his outings this year.
Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. had his big league-best 57th multihit game of the season.
Brady Singer (9-10) allowed two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Rocchio’s sacrifice fly in the second and Andrés Giménez’s bloop RBI single in the fifth built a 2-0 lead.
Kansas City loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth, but Tommy Pham failed to tag up at third on Salvador Perez’s fly to left. Paul DeJong followed with a sacrifice fly and Bibee struck out MJ Melendez.
Rocchio hit his seventh home run of the season in the bottom half, a two-run drive against Sam Long that was just inside the left-field foul pole. The 23-year-old rookie homered after failing on a pair of bunt attempts.
Rocchio added a bases-loaded walk in the eighth against James McArthur for a career-best four RBIs.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Royals: 1B-34B Yuli Gurriel, acquired from Atlanta on Surday, is listed as day to day with right hamstring tightness. He was replaced after doubling in the eighth inning Monday and did not play Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Cleveland RHP Ben Lively (11-8, 3.92) starts Wednesday’s series finale against Royals RHP Seth Lugo (14-8, 3.12).
