Nine Royals Pitchers Combine for Historic MLB Feat Not Seen Since 2016

The Royals bullpen shut out the Braves over 10 innings on Wednesday.

Royals pitcher Angel Zerpa was the first of nine pitchers Kansas City used on Wednesday. / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Royals used a whopping nine pitchers on Wednesday in their 1-0 shutout win over the Atlanta Braves in a 10-inning game.

This is only the second time in MLB history in which nine pitchers were used in a shutout win, with the Cleveland Guardians achieving the feat back in 2016 in another 10-inning game. The Royals tied the record on Wednesday. They are the first team to have a shutout game in which all the pitchers logged at least one inning each, Royals broadcaster Joel Goldberg reported.

Using nine pitchers was part of the strategic plan the Royals had to use on short notice after the team lost starting pitcher Kris Bubic for the rest of the season with a left rotator cuff strain. Royals manager Matt Quatraro planned to utilize the bullpen during Wednesday's game, and it worked out in their favor.

Angel Zerpa, normally a relief pitcher, started in the first inning and saw one batter in the second—the Braves had one hit on him. Jonathan Bowlen was next, pitching through the third and striking out three batters and walking one. John Schreiber came in for the fourth, striking out another three batters. Taylor Clarke entered for the fifth, striking out one, then Hunter Harvey came in for the sixth and had two hits on him. Steven Cruz was next, striking out one batter in the seventh. Lucas Erceg gave up one hit in the eighth. Carlos Estevez pitched the ninth. Then, finally, Sam Long threw two strikeouts and gave up one hit in the 10th inning.

Thankfully for the Royals pitching staff, Salvador Perez hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th to end the game.

The Royals bullpen is going to need to rest on Thursday before their three-game series against the Blue Jays starting on Friday.

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