Carter Jensen Powers Royals Past Marlins 7-3 to Avoid Sweep

Jensen Offense Sparks Kansas City Victory

Carter Jensen finished just a single shy of hitting for the cycle, driving in three runs and scoring three times to power the Kansas City Royals past the Miami Marlins 7-3 on Thursday night. Playing in front of 10,803 fans with a sweltering game time temperature of 97 degrees, the Royals salvaged the series finale and avoided a three game sweep. Jensen continued his recent surge at the plate, giving him three home runs over his last two contests. The victory provided a much-needed reprieve for Kansas City, who entered the matchup tied with the Colorado Rockies and Athletics for the most series sweeps suffered this season with 10.

The Marlins wasted no time jumping ahead when Heriberto Hernández launched Michael Wacha’s very first pitch out to left-center field for his first career leadoff home run. Miami extended its lead to 2-0 in the second inning after Jakob Marsee led off with a double and later scored on an RBI single from Joe Mack. The Royals answered right back in the third frame when Kyle Isbel reached base and scored on Jensen’s RBI triple to right center field. Jensen then crossed the plate on a two-out double by Jac Caglianone to tie the game at 2-2.

Miami briefly reclaimed the lead in the fourth inning when Wacha surrendered a leadoff extra-base hit for the fourth straight frame a 426-foot solo blast to Agustín Ramirez. However, the Isbel and Jensen tandem delivered again in the bottom of the fifth. Isbel laced a one-out single, setting up Jensen for a towering 440-foot two run home run to right field off Sandy Alcantara, putting Kansas City ahead 4-3. The Royals broke the game open in the eighth inning, putting up three insurance runs capped by back-to-back RBI doubles from Salvador Perez and Vinnie Pasquantino to seal the 7-3 victory.

Starting Pitchers Battle Through Six Innings

Michael Wacha (9-8) earned the win despite early troubles, allowing three runs on six hits while walking two and striking out seven over six full innings of work. On the other side, Sandy Alcantara (13-9) took the loss for the Marlins, charged with four runs on six hits across his six innings on the mound. The defeat ended Miami’s bid to secure their third series sweep against an American League opponent this season.