Michael Wacha Flirts with History as Royals Edge Tigers 1-0 in Pitcher's Duel
KANSAS CITY — Michael Wacha wasn’t thinking about the scoreboard — at least, not consciously. But as the innings ticked by and the Tigers remained hitless, the reality was impossible to ignore.
Wacha carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning on Saturday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium, delivering a masterclass on the mound and helping the Royals secure a gritty 1-0 win over Detroit. The victory evened the series and gave Kansas City a significant morale boost against the American League’s top team.
On the other side of the diamond, reigning AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal was just as dominant. He blanked the Royals through seven innings, allowing only two hits. But it was Kansas City that finally broke through.
The deadlock ended in the eighth inning when Vinnie Pasquantino lined an opposite-field RBI single off Tigers reliever Beau Brieske, scoring Nick Loftin, who had doubled off the wall moments earlier. The go-ahead run brought a surge of emotion through the Royals’ dugout — and some redemption for Pasquantino, who had taken accountability the night before for missed opportunities at the plate.
“Watching [Wacha] do what he did today — it’s incredible,” Pasquantino said. “He’s everything for this team.”
Wacha finished seven innings, giving up just one hit and one walk while striking out six. He didn’t get the win on the stat sheet, but he certainly earned it in the eyes of teammates and fans. His only blemish came on a single by Colt Keith in the seventh, breaking up the no-hit bid after 6 1/3 innings.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch praised Wacha’s ability to disrupt timing and command the zone: “He doesn’t throw the same pitch twice. He was mixing everything, and we didn’t have an answer.”
Wacha’s pitch count reached 99 by the end of the seventh. Royals manager Matt Quatraro said there was a chance Wacha could have gone the distance if the no-hitter stayed intact, though the rising pitch count and warm weather (84°F at first pitch) would have made that a tough call.
Still, Wacha looked sharp from the first pitch, coinciding with a special moment for Royals fans: the retirement ceremony for franchise legend Mike Moustakas. Perhaps inspired by the occasion, Wacha had every pitch working — especially his changeup, which drew six whiffs on 19 swings.
“It was dancing for me,” Wacha said with a grin.
Kansas City’s defense backed him up, too. Loftin’s diving catch in left field following the Tigers’ first hit preserved the lead and energized the home crowd.
“Wacha was throwing one hell of a game,” Loftin said. “We just wanted to make sure we were right there behind him.”
John Schreiber picked up the win in relief, and Carlos Estévez recorded his 16th save of the season to seal the deal.
As Wacha walked off the field, having nearly etched his name into the Royals’ history books, it was clear his performance had made a statement. Against one of baseball’s best teams — and one of the game’s elite pitchers — Kansas City proved it can rise to the occasion.