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Pittsburgh Pirates sweep Kansas City Royals after late rally
The Pittsburgh Pirates completed a three-game series sweep of the Kansas City Royals with a 4-3 victory at PNC Park on Sunday. Rafael Flores Jr. secured the win for Pittsburgh by hitting a go-ahead, two-run home run in the eighth inning off reliever Nate Pearson.
The game saw several momentum shifts. The Royals initially took a 1-0 lead in the first inning following an RBI single by Salvador Perez. Pittsburgh tied the game in the fourth with a solo home run from Oneil Cruz. In the sixth, Spencer Horwitz hit an RBI single to give the Pirates a 2-1 lead, but the Royals reclaimed the lead 3-2 in the seventh via a two-run pinch-hit home run from Vinnie Pasquantino.
Despite the late surge from Kansas City, Flores’ eighth-inning blast restored the Pirates' lead. Mason Montgomery earned his 16th save for Pittsburgh after stranding a runner in the ninth. The loss continues a difficult stretch for the Royals, who have struggled with bullpen performance and are currently in a late-season decline.
Entities
Carter Jensen · Kansas City Royals · Michael Wacha · Oneil Cruz · PNC Park · Pittsburgh Pirates · Rafael Flores Jr.
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Kansas City Royals 4-3.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Oneil Cruz became the third Pirate in the modern era to record three consecutive 20/20 seasons.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Vinnie Pasquantino hit a two-run pinch-hit home run in the seventh inning for the Royals.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Oneil Cruz hit his 20th home run of the season in the fourth inning.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Michael Wacha pitched 5.2 innings, allowing two runs and striking out five.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Rafael Flores Jr. hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Pirates the lead.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Pirates completed a three-game series sweep against the Royals.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Kansas City Royals have a season record of 67-89.