Bobby Witt drives in 3 runs to lead the Royals to an 8-3 victory over rival Cardinals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Bobby Witt Jr. drove in three runs and Michael Wacha struck out six in seven innings to lead the Kansas City Royals to an 8-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday night.

Maikel Garcia had an RBI single, Witt added an RBI triple and Salvador Perez hit a two-run, opposite field homer to right in the Royals’ four-run seventh inning.

The victory clinched the season season for Kansas City for the first time since 2016. The teams split the two-game series.

Wacha (9-6) gave up two runs on five hits with two walks. He has allowed two runs or fewer in eight of his 10 starts at Kauffman Stadium this season. Lucas Erceg recorded his fourth save.

Garcia gave the Royals a 3-2 lead in the seventh. Kyle Isbel gave Kansas City an insurance run in the eighth with an RBI triple. Freddy Fermin drove in his 31st run of the season.

Cardinals starter Andre Pallante pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up two runs, one earned, on three hits with four walks with four strikeouts. Ryan Fernandez (1-4) took the loss in relief.

Paul Goldschmidt hit a 430-foot, two-run home run, his 18th of the season, to give the Cardinals a lead in the second inning. Nolan Gorman added two hits as St. Louis went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Placed RHP Hunter Harvey (mid-back tightness) on the 15-day injured list retroactive to August 7. RHP Carlos Hernandez was recalled in the corresponding move.

UP NEXT

St. Louis will head to Cincinnati for a three-game series starting Monday. Sonny Gray (11-6, 3.65 ERA) is slated to take the mound for the Cardinals. Kansas City will head to Minnesota for a three-game series starting Monday. Brady Singer (8-7, 3.03) will get the start.