Giants complete sweep over Royals with Snell’s 9 strikeouts

Blake Snell delivered an impressive performance, striking out nine batters over six innings, leading the San Francisco Giants to a 2-0 victory against the Kansas City Royals on Sunday. This win marked the completion of a three-game series sweep for the Giants, who have now shut out the Royals in consecutive games. Kansas City has struggled significantly, losing their last seven games and scoring only four runs in their last five outings. In the game, Snell allowed just two singles and a walk, preventing any Royals player from advancing past first base. His recent form has been outstanding, boasting a 5-0 record with a 1.23 ERA and 114 strikeouts over his last 14 starts. The Royals' batters faced difficulties against Snell, managing only one hit in 13 at-bats when he threw a first-pitch strike. The Giants scored their runs in the second inning, with Grant McCray hitting an RBI triple and later scoring on Brett Wisely's two-out hit. McCray's performance was notable as he ended an 0-for-13 slump with his first extra-base hit since early September. On the other hand, Royals pitcher Seth Lugo had a solid outing, retiring 16 consecutive batters and finishing with five strikeouts, but it was not enough to secure a win. This series sweep is significant for the Giants, marking their first against the Royals and their first against an American League opponent since April 2022. The Royals now find themselves tied with the Detroit Tigers in the AL wild card race, facing increasing pressure as they continue to struggle offensively.