Bobby Witt Jr. pulls off eye-popping franchise feat last seen in 1976
09/17/2024 03:44 AM
Kansas City Royals superstar Bobby Witt Jr. added to his MVP case on Monday night with an impressive performance against the Detroit Tigers.
Witt powered the Royals’ offense with a grand slam and five RBIs, though he narrowly missed adding more with the bases loaded late in the game.
In the seventh inning, Witt and team captain Salvador Perez couldn't drive in the tying run against the Tigers. Both players flew out during a critical moment, allowing Detroit to secure a 7-6 victory at Kauffman Stadium.
The Royals slugger wrapped up the game with a 2-for-4 performance and secured his 200th hit of the season. He leads the MLB with a .332 batting average, along with 32 home runs and 108 RBIs.
Bobby Witt Jr. continuing to make history
Witt Jr. joins George Brett (1976) and Willie Wilson (1980) as the only players in Royals franchise history to record 200 or more hits in a season before turning 25.
Bobby Witt Jr. is the third player in @Royals franchise history with a 200+ hit season in his age-24 season or younger:
George Brett, 1976
Willie Wilson, 1980
Bobby Witt Jr., 2024 pic.twitter.com/iqmKP8D43q— MLB (@MLB) September 17, 2024
Kansas City got on the board first when the bottom of the order loaded the bases against Reese Olson in the third inning.
Witt Jr. then launched a curveball for a grand slam, his 32nd homer of the year and fourth career grand slam. This ties him with Carlos Beltrán for the fourth-most grand slams in Royals franchise history.
Two innings later, Witt expanded the Royals’ lead with an RBI infield single down the first-base line, marking his 200th hit of the season.
Colt Keith blasted a two-run homer, Matt Vierling tallied three hits and drove in the go-ahead run, and the Detroit Tigers rallied from a four-run deficit to top the Royals 7-6 on Monday night, a crucial win for their playoff push.
The Detroit Tigers coming from behind against the Kansas City Royals
The Tigers, after a sluggish beginning, took advantage of Royals starter Seth Lugo and the bullpen.
Detroit's patient approach eventually wore down Lugo. He threw 96 pitches in just 4 2/3 innings—his second-shortest outing of the season—allowing four runs on eight hits, two walks, a wild pitch, and recording four strikeouts.
In the fifth inning, Lugo’s 86.9 mph changeup hung up, and Keith hammered it for a two-run homer over the right-field wall.
Lugo, who had posted three straight starts of seven innings or more with one run or fewer, struggled on Monday. Out of his 31 starts this season, it was only the second time he didn't complete five innings and the seventh time he failed to reach at least six innings.
The Royals maintained a 6-4 lead through five innings, but their bullpen faltered. Left-hander Sam Long surrendered three runs in just 2/3 of an inning. In the sixth, Tigers outfielder Wenceel Perez delivered a pinch-hit two-run double, leveling the score.
Perez later crossed the plate when Matt Vierling knocked in an RBI single, giving the Tigers the lead.
Detroit is fighting for its playoff chances, trailing the third and final American League Wild Card spot by just 1.5 games. The Tigers are chasing the Twins for that spot.
Meanwhile, the Royals are aiming for their first postseason appearance since 2015. Although their hopes for winning the AL Central are fading—currently 5 games behind the Guardians—they hold the second AL Wild Card spot, 2.5 games ahead of the Twins.
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