C.J. Kayfus Powers Guardians Past Royals 3-2 With Late Homer as Cleveland Boosts Wild Card Hopes

Thursday, September 11th, 2025

Cleveland Guardians Rally Late to Defeat Kansas City Royals 3-2

Rookie C.J. Kayfus delivered a clutch two-run homer in the eighth inning, propelling the Cleveland Guardians to a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory over the Kansas City Royals. The win strengthened Cleveland's position in the American League playoff race as the regular season winds down.

Guardians Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

The Guardians, now 75-71, have won six of their last seven games and secured three victories out of four in this critical series against the Royals. With 15 games remaining, Cleveland trails Seattle by just three games for the final American League wild card spot, keeping their postseason dreams alive.

Milestone for Royals' Vinnie Pasquantino

Kansas City's Vinnie Pasquantino made history in the first inning with a two-run home run, becoming only the fourth left-handed hitter in Royals history to reach 30 homers in a single season. Only Mike Moustakas (2017), John Mayberry (1975), and Hall of Famer George Brett (1985) have previously accomplished this feat for the Royals.

The Royals, now 74-73, are 4-6 in their last 10 games and find themselves four and a half games out of the final wild card spot as the postseason chase heats up.

Kayfus Delivers Game-Winner

In the decisive eighth inning, Guardians catcher Bo Naylor started the rally with a base hit to right field. C.J. Kayfus followed with a towering 425-foot home run to right-center on a 1-0 fastball from John Schreiber, marking his third home run of the season and putting Cleveland ahead for good.

Matt Festa earned the win with a scoreless eighth inning, while Cade Smith secured his 13th save. Smith hit Jonathan India with a pitch to start the ninth, but quickly recovered to retire the next three batters, sealing the victory.

Key Moment

The Royals struggled to capitalize with runners in scoring position, going 0-for-6 in those situations. Their best opportunity came in the sixth inning, when they had runners on the corners with two outs. However, Guardians' starter Gavin Williams struck out Jonathan India with a sweeping pitch on a full count, ending the threat and keeping Cleveland within striking distance.

Key Stat

Since August 10, Vinnie Pasquantino leads all of Major League Baseball with 33 RBIs in 30 games and is tied for the most home runs (11) during that span.

Up Next

The Royals head to Philadelphia to open a three-game series against the Phillies. Michael Lorenzen (5-10, 4.63 ERA) is slated to start for Kansas City.

The Guardians return home for a three-game set against the Chicago White Sox, with Tanner Bibee (9-11, 4.69 ERA) scheduled as the starting pitcher for Cleveland.

In summary

The Cleveland Guardians staged a late-inning comeback powered by C.J. Kayfus' crucial home run to defeat the Kansas City Royals 3-2, further tightening the AL wild card race. Key performances from both teams, including a milestone homer from Vinnie Pasquantino, set the stage for an exciting playoff push as the regular season draws to a close.

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