WASHINGTON — Kyle Isbel snapped Kansas City’s 27-inning scoreless streak by sprinting home on a throwing error in the 10th inning, Cole Ragans gave up three hits in six innings, and the Royals held on to the second American League wild card with a 1-0 victory over the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.
Isbel, the Royals’ automatic runner to begin the 10th, reached third on Bobby Witt Jr.’s infield single to short and crossed the plate on Nasim Nuñez’s low throw to first to end Kansas City’s seven-game slide.
Kansas City and Detroit are both 83-74 but the Royals own the head-to-head tiebreaker. Both teams are 1 1/2 games up on Minnesota.
Kyle Finnegan (3-7) escaped the 10th without further damage.
Lucas Erceg worked a clean 10th for his 12th save and ninth with the Royals, striking out Joey Gallo after the Nationals slugger hooked a 3-2 offering just to the foul side of the right-field foul pole.
Ragans struck out six in his fourth consecutive outing of six innings or more to lower his September ERA to 1.08.
Kris Bubic stranded runner on third in the seventh, Sam Long pitched a scoreless eighth and Angel Zerpa (2-0) threw a perfect ninth to get the game to extra innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Royals: RHP Hunter Harvey (back) will be shut down for the season. The reliever hasn’t appeared since Aug. 4, and will get another medical opinion. “He’s going to go see someone in Dallas to see if they can find something different, but by all accounts, we think it’s just going to be rest” that he needs, said manager Matt Quatraro. … RHP James McArthur (right elbow), who last pitched on Sept. 16, also won’t return this season. … RHP Michael Lorenzen (left hamstring) remains on track to return from the injured list to make Wednesday’s start, Quatraro said.
Nationals: Recalled OF Stone Garrett from Triple-A Rochester and placed INF Andrés Chaparro on the paternity list.
UP NEXT
Lorenzen (7-6, 3.43 ERA) will try to continue his excellent form since joining the Royals from Texas at the trade deadline. He has a 1.85 ERA and 2-0 record in five starts with Kansas City. He’ll face rookie lefty DJ Herz (4-8, 4.30).
