Bobby Witt Jr. hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the fifth inning and the Kansas City Royals avoided a three-game sweep at the hands of the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks with a 5-2 victory Wednesday night.
With the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth, Arizona’s Mike Soroka (8-5), who came off the injured list Wednesday from a right arm issue, allowed a single to Isaac Collins and walked Carter Jensen. Witt, who had two hits on the night, then cleared the left field wall to give the Royals (65-82) a comfortable advantage that ended up salvaging the final contest on a 3-6 homestand.
Kansas City’s Daniel Lynch IV (5-5) allowed two runs, four hits and two walks over five innings. Meanwhile, Jose Cuas, Anthony Gose, Craig Kimbrel and Nate Pearson (four saves) combined to allow five hits, but did so over four scoreless innings.
Nolan Arenado homered for one of his two hits for the Diamondbacks (78-69), who had won four straight but stranded nine men on base and went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Returning from missing two months due to elbow inflammation, Arizona starter Zac Gallen allowed two runs — one earned — and four hits with two walks over 3 1/3 innings.
Arizona had runners on second and third with one out in the first against Lynch but failed to score. An inning later, the Royals opened the score when John Rave reached on an infield hit, went to second on Kyle Isbel’s single, then stole third and scored via catcher James McCann’s errant throw on the play.
Jensen made it 2-0 in the third when he sent a Gallen slider well over the right field wall for his 23rd home run. However, Arenado got the Diamondbacks within a run as he opened the fourth with a drive off the facade of the bullpen over the left field wall for his 23rd.
Arizona tied it in the fifth. Jordan Lawlar (two hits) began the frame with a single and eventually scored on Ketel Marte’s two-out single to left field.
The game started following a 50-minute rain delay.
