Royals Recap
Hosted by Big Dill
About This Episode
Generated sports podcast with host Big Dill based on prompt: Kansas City Royals daily updates. If they played a game yesterday give me the highlights.
Transcript
Welcome back to Big Dill Sports! I'm your host, Dillon, here to dive into the latest action with our beloved Kansas City Royals. Today, we're breaking down the Royals' tough day on the diamond against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
Under a sweltering sun, the Royals faced off against a red-hot Diamondbacks team and came up short, falling 7-1. Here's how it all went down. The heat was intense, but Ryne Nelson was even hotter on the mound for the D-backs. Nelson was nearly untouchable, delivering seven scoreless innings with a perfect game bid stretching into the sixth. He was mixing his pitches brilliantly, keeping our hitters guessing and, unfortunately, off the base paths.
On the other side, Michael Wacha had a rough outing. Tagged with the loss, he labored through four innings, giving up four runs. It's been a challenging stretch for him, as this marked his eighth consecutive start without a win.
The Royals managed to scratch just one run across the plate, and that came in the sixth inning when Freddy Fermin broke up Nelson’s no-hit bid with a single. Bobby Witt Jr. followed with an RBI single, extending his impressive hitting streak to nine games. But, outside of that moment, the Royals' offense couldn't find its rhythm.
The Diamondbacks put on a clinic, both pitching and at the plate. Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez set the tone early with RBI singles. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. added to the barrage with a two-run double and a triple. And Randal Grichuk put the nail in the coffin with his inside-the-park home run in the eighth.
Despite the loss, the Royals' defense had some highlight-reel stuff. Alek Thomas and rookie Kyle Isbel made spectacular grabs to keep the game somewhat in reach. Those plays definitely got the crowd buzzing, proving even in tough games, there's room for individual brilliance.
Now, let's talk about our 'big dill' of the game. While it was a tough outing overall, Bobby Witt Jr.'s continued consistency at the plate makes him today's standout. His hitting streak is a testament to his indispensable role in the lineup—a shining light in an otherwise dim day.
Looking ahead, the Royals still have a shot to bounce back in the series finale on Sunday. Michael Lorenzen will take the mound, hoping to steer the ship back on course. It’s another chance for the Royals to shine and for us fans to rally behind them.
So, there you have it, folks. Another slice of Royals action from Big Dill Sports. Remember, every game brings a new story, and we'll be here to share it all with you. Until next time, keep cheering, keep believing, and go Royals!
Thanks for joining me. Stay cool out there!
## Game Recap: Royals Fall 7–1 at Chase Field (July 5, 2025)
The Kansas City Royals dropped the second game of their four-game series at the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday afternoon, falling 7–1 at Chase Field in Phoenix. Despite a sweltering 37.2°C heat and clear skies, the Royals’ lineup managed just four hits against a dominant D-backs staff, and their pitching surrendered seven runs on eight hits over eight innings en route to the loss before a crowd of 35,562 fans ([thescore.com](https://www.thescore.com/mlb/events/89670?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [mlb.com](https://www.mlb.com/stories/game/777234)).
### Diamondbacks’ Pitching Masterclass
Right-hander Ryne Nelson (5–2) was virtually untouchable, carrying a perfect game bid into the sixth inning and ultimately spinning seven scoreless frames. Nelson scattered four hits, issued no walks, and punched out five over 86 pitches, lowering his ERA to 3.39 for the season. His performance was buoyed by a crisp fastball/curveball mix that kept Royals hitters off balance, and he preserved the lead with help from relievers Kevin Ginkel and Shelby Miller, who retired the final six batters in order to close out the 7–1 win ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401696244?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [burncitysports.com](https://burncitysports.com/2025/07/05/diamondbacks-royals-saturday-recap/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)).
Diamondbacks Bullpen Lines (July 5 vs. KC)
- Kevin Ginkel: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (ERA: 9.47)
- Shelby Miller: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (ERA: 1.98)
- Ryne Nelson (W): 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 5 K, 0 HR (ERA: 3.39) ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401696244?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
### Royals’ Starting Pitcher, Bullpen Struggles
Michael Wacha (4–9) was tagged with the loss after four innings, surrendering four runs on four hits and issuing four walks while striking out four. Wacha’s 98-pitch outing marked his eighth consecutive start without earning a win, dropping his ERA to 3.83. The Royals bullpen allowed three additional runs over the next three innings, including an inside-the-park home run by Randal Grichuk in the eighth, pushing the Diamondbacks’ advantage to 7–1.
Kansas City Pitching Lines (July 5 vs. ARI)
- Michael Wacha (L): 4.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 BB, 4 K (98 pitches; ERA: 3.83)
- John Schreiber: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (ERA: 3.48)
- Daniel Lynch IV: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K (ERA: 2.59)
- Taylor Clarke: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K (ERA: 3.65)
- Sam Long: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 HR (ERA: 10.29) ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401696244?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [new.cbssports.com](https://new.cbssports.com/mlb/gametracker/preview/MLB_20250705_KC%40ARI/?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
### Arizona’s Offensive Highlights
Arizona peppered Kansas City pitching for eight hits and seven runs, featuring contributions up and down the lineup:
- **Josh Naylor** delivered an RBI single in the third inning to open the scoring, plating Geraldo Perdomo ([mlb.com](https://www.mlb.com/stories/game/777234), [espn.com](https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401696244?utm_source=chatgpt.com)).
- **Eugenio Suárez** followed with an RBI single in the same frame, his 28th home run propelled the D-backs into a 2–0 lead ([mlb.com](https://www.mlb.com/stories/game/777234), [espn.com](https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401696244?utm_source=chatgpt.com)).
- **Lourdes Gurriel Jr.** ripped a two-run double in the fifth inning to extend the advantage to 4–0, then added a two-out, sixth-inning triple that scored James McCann for a 5–1 cushion ([new.cbssports.com](https://new.cbssports.com/mlb/gametracker/preview/MLB_20250705_KC%40ARI/?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [mlb.com](https://www.mlb.com/stories/game/777234)).
- **Randal Grichuk** capped the scoring with his fifth homer of the season—an inside-the-park shot in the eighth—off reliever Sam Long, making it 7–1 ([mlb.com](https://www.mlb.com/stories/game/777234), [espn.com](https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401696244?utm_source=chatgpt.com)).
Diamondbacks Key Hitters vs. Royals (ESPN)
| Player | AB | R | H | RBI | HR | BB | K | AVG |
|--------------------|----|---|---|-----|----|----|----|------|
| Eugenio Suárez | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .255 |
| Lourdes Gurriel Jr.| 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .253 |
| Randal Grichuk | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .236 |
| Josh Naylor | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .302 | ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401696244?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
### Royals’ Offense: Lone Bright Spot
Kansas City mustered just one run on four hits, all coming in the top of the sixth. Freddy Fermin broke up Nelson’s no-hit bid with a sharp single to right, and Bobby Witt Jr. followed with an RBI single that extended his hitting streak to nine games, in which he has driven in six runs ([mlb.com](https://www.mlb.com/stories/game/777234), [espn.com](https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401696244?utm_source=chatgpt.com)). Outside of that two-bat rally, the Royals went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base.
### Defensive Highlights
Despite the loss, Kansas City defenders showcased a couple of standout plays against one of the league’s hottest offenses:
- In the third inning, Alek Thomas roared in on a sinking liner by Vinnie Pasquantino and executed a spectacular sliding catch to end the frame ([mlb.com](https://www.mlb.com/stories/game/777234), [burncitysports.com](https://burncitysports.com/2025/07/05/diamondbacks-royals-saturday-recap/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)).
- Rookie Kyle Isbel contributed with a diving grab in right field to thwart an extra-base hit earlier in the game ([mlb.com](https://www.mlb.com/stories/game/777234), [mlb.com](https://www.mlb.com/stories/game/777234?utm_source=chatgpt.com)).
### What’s Next
The Royals will look to salvage the series finale on Sunday, July 6, when right-hander Michael Lorenzen (4–8, 4.95 ERA) toes the rubber against Diamondbacks’ Anthony DeSclafani (0–0, 4.82). First pitch at Chase Field is slated for 3:10 p.m. CT ([new.cbssports.com](https://new.cbssports.com/mlb/gametracker/preview/MLB_20250705_KC%40ARI/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)).
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