The Kansas City Royals concluded their three-game series against the Miami Marlins with a 7-3 victory at Kauffman Stadium on September 3, 2026. The win was crucial for the Royals, improving their record to 63-78 and allowing them to avoid the dreaded 100-loss season, a scenario that seemed possible earlier in the year.
The Marlins started strong, making history by achieving an extra-base hit in the first plate appearance of each of the first four innings. Heriberto Hernandez set the tone with a home run in the opening inning, and Miami quickly extended their lead to 2-0 when Jakob Marsee scored on a single from Joe Mack in the second inning. Despite the early lead, the Marlins were unable to capitalize further as Otto Lopez was thrown out at home plate, preventing a bigger inning.
In the bottom of the third, the Royals began to fight back. After Isaac Collins was retired following a lengthy eight-pitch at-bat, Kyle Isbel singled, setting the stage for Carter Jensen. Jensen delivered a powerful line drive that reached the wall, allowing Isbel to score and Jensen to reach third base. Jac Caglianone followed with a double, bringing Jensen home and tying the game at 2-2.
However, the Marlins quickly regained the lead in the fourth inning when Agustin Ramirez hit a home run to center field, marking his third of the season. Despite this setback, Royals pitcher Michael Wacha maintained his composure, retiring the next three batters and preventing further damage.
The turning point came in the fifth inning when Carter Jensen continued his impressive performance. After hitting two home runs in the previous game and a triple earlier in this one, Jensen launched his 22nd home run of the season, giving the Royals a 4-3 lead. This pivotal moment shifted the momentum firmly in Kansas City's favor.
As the game progressed, the Royals added to their lead in the eighth inning. Jensen led off with a double and advanced to third on a groundout by Bobby Witt Jr. Caglianone once again came through, driving Jensen in with a single. Salvador Perez then contributed with a double, scoring Caglianone, and Tyler Tolbert, who pinch-ran for Perez, stole third before scoring on Vinnie Pasquantino's double. The Royals' offense exploded, pushing the score to 7-3.
Wacha earned the win, improving his record to 9-8. He delivered a solid performance, pitching six innings while allowing three earned runs on six hits and two walks, striking out seven batters. Although he faced challenges, Wacha's ability to limit damage was key to the Royals' success.
The Royals' bullpen also played a significant role, with Craig Kimbrel, who faced a health issue during the game, being replaced by Nate Pearson, who pitched 1.1 scoreless innings. Steven Cruz closed out the game, ensuring the Royals secured the victory without allowing any further runs.
In total, the Royals recorded seven runs on 11 hits, with six of those hits being extra-base hits. Jensen's performance was particularly noteworthy as he finished just a single shy of completing the cycle.
Looking ahead, the Royals will face the Toronto Blue Jays, who recently improved their record to 70-71 and are in contention for the final Wild Card spot. With their recent success against Toronto, the Royals will aim to continue their momentum and play spoiler in the upcoming series.
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