Live Updates, June 2, 2024: Kansas City Royals vs San Diego Padres (Game Three)
Kansas City, MO. - The Kansas City Royals will look to put a halt to their recent skid in the series finale with the San Diego Padres. Cole Ragans will get the nod for the Royals as he looks to improve his record back to above .500 with a win today. Kansas City allowed 18 runs over their last two contests in this series. If they want to turn the tide and pick up a win before hitting the road, they're going to need better performances from all areas of their pitching. The bullpen has fallen apart in recent games and it has cost the Royals.
The Royals' recent struggles have pushed them five games behind the Guardians in the race for the AL Central. That is not an un-closable gap, but the Royals will need to pick up a win today heading into a series with the Guardians. The Royals will have two total meetings with the Guardians in June and ultimately, Kansas City has a lot of time and room to come back from their recent struggles. A win in this contest would pull them closer.
How It Happened:
3:52 p.m. - Nick Loftin hits the walk off sacrifice fly and brings Velazquez home. The Royals came back from a two run defecit in the ninth to win an important game and bring the division lead one game closer. The Royals are never out of it. 4-3 Royals
3:51 p.m. - Nelson Velazquez did it and the stadium erupts! After a single and walk from Pasquantino and Perez, the Royals pinch hit Nelson Velazquez and he picks up his first triple of the season to tie this game. The Royals are a single sacrifice fly away from doing the improbable. Runner on third and no outs. 3-3
3:34 p.m. - The Royals are having troubles putting multiple hits together. The lack of offense for Kansas City has to be dissapointing after such a great outing by Cole Ragans. Will Klein will try to hold the defecit at two for the Royals. 3-1 Padres
3:24 p.m. - McArthur does what he can to keep the Royals in it with three straight outs and not allowing any of his inherited runners to score. Unfortunately for Kansas City it may be too little too late. 3-1 Padres
3:20 p.m. - Angel Zerpa got hammered in his appearance. Four total hits and two runs across without recording a single out got Zerpa pulled early. James McArthur will try to fix the mess that Zerpa left with runners at the corners and no outs. 3-1 Padres
3:10 p.m. - Not a good time for mistakes. Angel Zerpa misses the pickoff throw to first base and allowed Tyler Wade to come all the way around to third with zero outs. Zerpa then took Tatis Jr to a full count before he blasted a single up the middle to score Wade. The Royals bullpen has not been good in recent days and Zerpa has been especially struggling. There are still no outs. 2-1 Padres
3:04 p.m. - The Royals faced a familiar issue of getting players on base but not scoring that inning. Singles by Perez and Frazier go unrewarded as the Royals strand two to end the seventh. 1-1
2:52 p.m. - It has been silent on the offensive fronts from both sides in recent innings. There have been baserunners put on but getting them across the plate has been a struggle for both teams. 1-1
2:38 p.m. -Cole Ragans did it again! After putting runners on the corners with two outs, Ragans preserves the tie by striking out Jake Cronenworth to end the top half of the inning and give himself a quality start. Ragans ability to navigate pressure situations and baserunnners today has been nothing short of exceptional. 1-1
2:17 p.m. - The collision would cost the Royals as the runner at second would come around to score on a single the next at bat. Luiz Arraez picked up the RBI before being thrown out at second base after the run came across. Arraez was being looked at for an injury but has since made it is to his defensive position. 1-1
2:15 p.m. - Very scary play for the Royals in the top of the fifth as Bobby Witt Jr and Kyle Isbel collide trying to play a shallow foul ball. Witt Jr looked to be fine but Isbel was down an extended amount of time and is being looked at in the outfield. Witt Jr kneed Isbel in the side of the head during the accidental collision. Hopefully both players are okay. (Update: Kyle Isbel finished the inning before being taken out for Garrett Hampson) 1-0 Royals
2:05 p.m. - The Royals strike first in the bottom of the fourth as Maikel Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr hit singles to open up the inning before Vinnie Pasquantino would drive Garcia home on a sacrifice fly. That would be all for the Royals as Witt Jr got caught in a rundown trying to steal and Salvador Peres went down on strikes. Ragans now has a lead to work with. 1-0 Royals
2 p.m. - Cole Ragans took two batters to full counts before picking up both outs. He then gave up a double before picking up the final out of the half inning. Ragans has found himself in adversity today but has yet to crack. 0-0
1:51 p.m. - Both teams fail to produce a runner in the third inning. There are just two total hits in this contest so far and the pitchers have been playing fantastic. 0-0
1:40 p.m. - Adam Frazier gets the first hit of the day for Kansas City before Nick Loftin hits into an inning ending double play. Both pitchers are working around runners well thus far. 0-0
1:33 p.m. - Ragan's gave up his first hit of the day but it's all for not as he shuts down the next three battles to end the half inning. 0-0
1:25 p.m. - All three Royals put the bat on the ball but none of them can open grass for a hit as they go down in order. Bobby Witt Jr had the best chance to get on base but a great defensive effort by Jake Cronenworth kept him off. 0-0
1:19 p.m. - Ragans faced some early struggles with his command, throwing seven total balls to the first two batters and walking one. The result is all that matters though and Ragans closed the inning before Fernando Tatis Jr could move from first. 0-0
1:10 p.m. - The game is underway here as Cole Ragans retires the first batter to get the action started. 0-0
How to watch:
Where: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO.
When: First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. CT.
TV: You can watch the game on Bally Sports KC or MLB.TV (blackouts may apply depending on location).
Starting Pitchers
KC - Cole Ragans (4-4, 3.36 ERA)
SD - Michael King (4-4, 4.09 ERA)
Batting Order/Lineup
KC: 1. Maikel Garcia (3B) 2. Bobby Witt Jr. (SS) 3. Vinnie Pasquantino (1B) 4. Salvador Perez (DH) 5. Adam Frazier (RF) 6. Nick Loftin (2B) 7. MJ Melendez (LF) 8. Freddy Fermin (C) 9. Kyle Isbel (CF)
SD: 1. Luis Arraez (1B) 2. Fernando Tatis Jr. (RF) 3. Jurickson Profar (LF) 4. Manny Machado (DH) 5. Donovan Solano (3B) 6. Jake Cronenworth (2B) 7. Ha-Seong Kim (SS) 8. Luis Campusano (C) 9. Jose Azocar (CF)
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Austin is a sports journalist from Kansas City, Mo. He is a freshman at The University of Missouri-Columbia, pursuing a degree in sports journalism.