Seth Lugo pitched his first complete game, retiring 14 consecutive batters as the Kansas City Royals swept the Chicago White Sox with a 4-1 victory on Sunday.
Lugo (12-4) allowed one run and struck out six in 103 pitches. He gave up an infield hit to Tommy Pham in the first inning but then retired the next 14 hitters in a row.
Royals manager Matt Quatraro praised Lugo’s efficiency and strike throwing, emphasizing his satisfaction with Lugo securing both the complete game and the win.
Lugo expressed his long-standing desire to pitch a complete game, noting it as a career milestone achieved.
The Royals broke the scoreless tie in the sixth inning when Nicky Lopez was hit by a pitch and scored on Tommy Pham’s two-out single.
In the eighth inning, Hunter Renfroe’s single brought home Bobby Witt Jr., breaking a 1-1 tie as the Royals capitalized on five hits to score three runs against reliever John Brebbia (0-5).
“We were focused on hitting the ball the other way and getting timely hits,” Quatraro commented on the team’s offensive approach, especially with two outs.
Bobby Witt Jr. continued his stellar performance with three hits in every game of the series, contributing significantly to the Royals’ sixth series sweep.
Kansas City tied the game in the seventh inning when Maikel Garcia reached on an infield hit against Justin Anderson, scoring on Kyle Isbel’s squeeze bunt.
Chicago’s bullpen, which leads the majors in blown saves with 24 and 33 losses, struggled to contain the Royals’ offense in critical moments.
“We’ve had some issues in the seventh inning,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol acknowledged. “Brebbia wasn’t as sharp today, leaving some pitches over the plate against a tough lineup.”
