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Royals’ Nick Loftin walks off the Pirates for 4-3 win
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- Royals’ Nick Loftin walks off the Pirates for 4-3 win
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The post Royals' Nick Loftin walks off the Pirates for 4-3 win appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The Kansas Royals continued their recent surge on Tuesday night as Nick Loftin delivered not one, but two clutch hits in a 4-3 win over the Pirates at Kauffman Stadium to take the series. The victory keeps Kansas City's momentum rolling with five wins in their last six games and keeps them squarely in the hunt for an AL Wild Card spot.
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Despite a modest slash line, the 26-year-old has shown a knack for timely hitting. In 29 games this season, Loftin is batting .202 with 17 hits, 3 home runs, 10 RBIs, and 11 runs scored — and Tuesday night may have been his most clutch showing yet. The young Royals infielder came through in the bottom of the ninth, following back-to-back singles from Maikel Garcia and Salvador Perez . With one out and a 1-0 count against Isaac Mattson , Loftin drove a fastball into the outfield to score Garcia and seal a dramatic walk-off win for Kansas City.
The left fielder's walk-off single came just two innings after he launched a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh, his second game-changing moment of the night. His all-around performance helped the Royals overcome late-game rallies by the Pirates, who have now lost five straight to start their nine-game road trip.
The game featured several momentum shifts. Rookie Jac Caglianone opened the scoring with a 421-foot solo homer in the second inning — his first extra-base hit in 14 home appearances. Game 2 of the Royals vs. Pirates three-game series quickly turned into a power showcase, as Pittsburgh's Oneil Cruz answered in the fourth with a 458-foot blast on the same day he was officially named to the upcoming Home Run Derby competition.
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Nick Gonzales briefly put the Pirates ahead with a home run in the top of the seventh, but Loftin answered moments later. Bryan Reynolds tied the game again in the eighth with a ground ball RBI, but the Royals responded in the ninth with their second straight walk-off victory.
The win moves Kansas City to 45-48 and keeps them in striking distance in the MLB Wild Card standings, sitting just four games out. Loftin's emergence has been a key part of their recent momentum. It was also the team's second straight multi-homer game — something they hadn't accomplished all season until this week.
Pitching was solid on both sides. Seth Lugo and Mitch Keller each threw six innings with near-identical lines — one run on three hits and five strikeouts. Carlos Estevez earned the win with a scoreless ninth inning for the Royals, who look to complete the sweep in Wednesday night's finale.
If Loftin continues to come through in the clutch, the Royals could find themselves firmly in the playoff picture by late August.
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