Garcia, Melendez, Witt homer top help Royals rout Rockies 10-1, end 3-game losing streak
Kansas City Royals' Maikel Garcia gestures to the bullpen as he circles the bases after hitting a three-run home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tanner Gordon in the second inning of a baseball game, Sunday, July 7, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
JACK MAGRUDER Associated Press
DENVER (AP) — Maikel Garcia, MJ Melendez and Bobby Witt Jr. homered, Brady Singer won for the first time on the road this season and the Kansas City Royals beat the Colorado Rockies 10-1 on Sunday to end a three-game losing streak.
“It’s huge,” Witt said. “Anytime you get a win is big, but also doing it in that form and fashion, that just shows what our offense can do. And I still think we can even do more.”
Garcia’s three-run homer capped a four-run second inning off right-hander Tanner Gordon (0-1), who was making his major league debut. Garcia homered for first time since May 17, a span of 183 at-bats. He has six homers this season.
Melendez homered in the seventh, and Witt hit his 15th to cap a three-hit day in a three-run ninth.
“Maikel put a good at-bat together,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Pretty sure he wasn’t trying to hit a home run, but a good swing on a pitch that has given him some trouble.”
“Just trying to put the ball in play,” Garcia said.
Singer (5-5) gave one run and six hits — all singles — and stuck out seven in seven innings for his first road victory since Aug. 8, 2023, in Boston. He is 5-5 with a 2.93 ERA this season, 1-2 with a 3.24 ERA in eight road starts.
Nolan Jones hit run-scoring single to break Singer’s shutout with two outs in the seventh inning, but Singer retired Aaron Schunk on a fly to deep left field to preserve a 5-1 lead.
“My first time pitching in Coors Field in this air, so I really didn’t know how the ball would move or if the sinker would work as well as it has been,” Singer said. “I was able to use it. I think it worked pretty well, and the slider was a big pitch. Pitching on the road is a little bit different. It is good to win this last game of the series.”
Nine-time All-Star Salvador Perez had two singles, the first the 1,500th of his 13-year career, and Michael Massey and Garcia also had two hits. The Royals were 4 for 7 with runners in scoring position after going 4 for 51 in their previous nine road games. They had lost five straight on the road.
Gordon gave up eight hits and stuck out four without a walk in an economical 6 1/3 innings. He threw 78 pitches, 62 strikes.
Jake Cave had two hits and Michael Toglia reached base on a single and two walks for the Rockies, who had a three-game winning streak broken. Ezequiel Tovar was 0 for 4 and is hitless in his last 24 at-bats, a career long.
Perez singled to open second inning off Gordon, and singles by Massey and Felix Fermin drove in the first run. Garcia homered on a one-out 1-2 changeup, his 382-foot fly just clearing the left field fence.
“If you reconstruct the second inning, made some really good pitches,” Colorado manager Bud Black said. “Jam shot to Perez and two ground balls that went through the infield. Garcia went down and got a pretty good changeup.”
Massey and Fermin had RBIs in the eighth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Royals: 2B/OF Adam Frazier (thumb) was hitless in four at-bats from the leadoff spot in his first game since being activated from the injured list Friday. He was replaced for defensive purposes in the seventh inning.
Rockies: Gordon was purchased from Triple-A Albuquerque to make the start and RHP Dakota Hudson (2-12, 5.84 ERA) was designated for assignment. Hudson set a franchise record for most losses before the All-Star Game. … RHP German Marquez (Tommy John surgery) nearing a return to the rotation and is expected to make a final rehab start Tuesday, likely for Double-A Hartford. The Rockies roster is at 39. … OF Kris Bryant (oblique strain) will accompany the team on the seven-game road trip and will begin hitting on the field Monday. “That’s another big step,” manager Bud Black said. Bryant has been out since June 3.
UP NEXT
Rockies RHP Ryan Feltner (1-7, 5.60 ERA) was set to face Cincinnati LHP Andrew Abbott (8-6, 3.28) in the first game of a four-game series Monday at Great American Ball Park. … Royals RHP Michael Wacha (5-6, 3.74) was scheduled to oppose Cardinals RHP Andre Pallante (4-3, 4.00) on Tuesday night in St. Louis.
