Royals fall to Diamondbacks 7-6 on July 5, 2025, in a tough extra-inning loss. Despite Bobby Witt Jr.'s historic 24-game road hitting streak, the bullpen struggles.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a game that perfectly encapsulated the 2025 season for the Kansas City Royals: moments of individual brilliance and historic achievement overshadowed by a gut-wrenching, walk-off loss. Despite a late-game rally and Bobby Witt Jr. etching his name in the franchise record books, the Royals dropped the series opener to the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-6 in 10 innings, falling to 41-47 on the season.
Bobby Witt Jr. extended his road hitting streak to 24 games, breaking Hal McRae's 42-year-old franchise record.
The game at Chase Field was a back-and-forth affair from the start. Starter Michael Wacha battled, but it was the late innings that defined the contest. The Royals' offense, sparked by the red-hot Vinnie Pasquantino, clawed back to tie the game and force extras. However, the bullpen, a source of inconsistency this season, couldn't hold the line in the bottom of the 10th, allowing the Diamondbacks to walk it off and steal the victory.
The brightest spot of the night, and perhaps the month, belongs to Bobby Witt Jr. With a hit on Saturday, he extended his road hitting streak to an incredible 24 games, snapping the franchise record of 23 set by the legendary Hal McRae back in 1983. Witt's consistency at the top of the lineup has been a pillar for this team, providing a daily spark of speed and power that keeps the Royals in games.
While the offense did just enough to force extras Saturday, its potential was on full display the night before. On July 4th, Vinnie Pasquantino delivered his own fireworks, blasting two home runs and driving in a career-high six runs. 'The Italian Nightmare' is heating up at the perfect time, and his powerful bat, alongside recent call-up Jac Caglianone, is providing the middle-of-the-order thump the Royals have desperately needed.
On the injury front, infielder Michael Massey's return has been unfortunately delayed. His rehab assignment was paused due to an illness and a hit-by-pitch, both unrelated to his original ankle sprain. While Massey's return is on hold, the future looks bright down on the farm. The High-A Quad Cities River Bandits' pitching staff, led by prospects Drew Beam and Felix Arronde, is dominating its league, suggesting a wave of talent is on the way to bolster the big-league club in the years to come.
It was a night of conflicting emotions, but the Royals can't dwell on it. With the series finale tomorrow, they have a chance to salvage a win in Arizona and carry the positive momentum from Witt's historic streak and Pasquantino's hot bat into the next series. The bullpen needs to find its footing, but the flashes of offensive brilliance offer a glimmer of hope that this team can still turn things around.
