Bobby Witt Jr. hit his 25th home run, Michael Lorenzen allowed one run in his return to Cincinnati and the Kansas City Royals beat the Reds 7-1 on Friday to open a three-game interleague series.
Witt added a double and single to raise his major league-leading batting average to .352. The All-Star shortstop also scored three runs for Kansas City, which has won consecutive games for the first time since winning five straight from July 29-Aug. 2. The Royals own the American League’s final wild-card spot.
Vinnie Pasquantino added a three-run home run in the ninth inning to punctuate the win. Salvador Perez, Adam Frazier and Freddy Fermin each had an RBI.
Lorenzen (6-6), who spent his first seven major league seasons with Cincinnati (2015-21), limited the Reds to two hits over 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander walked three and struck out three in his third start for Kansas City since being traded from the Texas Rangers.
Kris Bubic and James McArthur each got three outs in relief of Lorenzen before Sam Long retired the only batter he faced to finish the eighth. Carlos Hernandez struck out three in the ninth.
Tyler Stephenson doubled twice on his 28th birthday and had the lone RBI for Cincinnati, which had its four-game win streak snapped.
The Reds were outhit 13-4 and went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
Cincinnati right-hander Nick Martinez (6-6) allowed three runs on eight hits and walked none while fanning four over six innings.
Martinez retired the first 10 Royals hitters before Witt walloped a fastball into the second deck in left-center for the game’s first run.
Witt doubled to lead off the sixth and moved to third on Pasquantino’s single before scoring on Perez’s fielder’s choice. Frazier’s two-out single later in the inning plated Pasquantino to make it 3-0.
The Reds responded in the bottom of the sixth when Jonathan India walked with one out and scored on Stephenson’s two-out double, which chased Lorenzen.
Frazier opened the ninth with his second hit and scored on Fermin’s ensuing double down the third base line. After Witt was intentionally walked, Pasquantino pummeled his 18th home run to right.
