Kansas City Royals use iconic play from 2015 postseason to beat White Sox 4-3

First baseman Vinne Pasquantino looked directly into a TV camera following the Royals’ 4-3 win Tuesday night over the White Sox and addressed general manager J.J. Picollo.

The Royals used a three-run rally in the eighth inning to wipe out a deficit at Guaranteed Rate Field, and Pasquantino delivered the big hit: a two-run single that might look familiar to Royals fans.

Trailing 2-1 in the eighth inning, the Royals put runners on the corners with one out when Bobby Witt Jr. — who else? — dropped a single into center field that tied the game.

Pasquantino then hit a liner to left field. Pinch runner Dairon Blanco scored easily from second and Pasquantino tried to stretch the play into a double. As White Sox left fielder Dominic Fletcher threw to second base, Witt turned on the jets and scored what proved to be the winning run.

Remember when Lorenzo Cain scored from first on a single by Eric Hosmer in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series? It’s an iconic moment in Royals history and there is a connection between that play and Witt’s dash on Tuesday night.

“It’s something that coming up in the minor leagues, we studied that play annoyingly,” Pasquantino said. “J.J., I’m talking to you. In Baseball 101, we looked at that play every morning. But it paid off tonight, which is the guy who hits the ball, go, push it to second. The guy who’s running — obviously Bobby hustles all the time and he’s the fastest player in the league — so it helps when that’s the case. And then Vance (Wilson, the third base coach). Vance is the MVP of that play. Sending him there, reading where their left fielder threw the ball in to their shortstop.

“It’s just a really, really good baseball play. So I think we’re all pretty pumped about it when things you study like that, when it when it pays off in a game like that where we really needed it.”

“As a third-base coach if you see (the play unfold), and especially you’ve gotta have the guy that can do it,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “But you know, Bobby never stops. And as soon as that throw starts going to second, it’s worth the chance right there. And Vance saw it the whole way.”

That gave the Royals a 4-2 lead. Chicago got a run back against reliever Hunter Harvey in its half of the eighth, but the Royals won and ended a weird streak.

Since beating the Tigers 10-3 at Kauffman Stadium on May 21, the Royals had suffered seven straight defeats in Tuesday games.

That skid is over.

The White Sox, on the other hand, lost their 16th game in a row and fell to 27-83.

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Game 1: Bobby Witt Jr. flashes star power in 8-5 win over White Sox

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The playoff implications

The Minnesota Twins lost 2-0 to the New York Mets, so the Royals, 59-49, pulled into a virtual tie for second in the AL Central and the Wild Card race.

Boston lost 10-6 to the Mariners, so the Royals are two games up on the Red Sox in the Wild Card standings.

Homecoming for Michael Massey

Michael Massey had that lone hit for the Royals through seven innings: a solo homer in the third inning.

Massey, who grew up in Palos Park, Illinois, roughly 30 minutes from the White Sox home ballpark, has seven homers in 24 career games against the White Sox.

“At this point, I’m just trying to help the team win,” Massey said. “Obviously, we’ve been in a playoff race and I’m not super worried about who we’re playing or what the situation is. I’m just trying to put good at-bats together and do what I can to get us a run.

“It’s always cool to do it with with people I know in the stands, but at the end of the day it’s about being professional and just trying to take good at-bats.”

Michael Wacha’s gem

Royals starter Michael Wacha gave up just two runs on five hits in seven innings. He walked two and struck out five.

“There’s some ups and downs, but overall, I thought that we were attacking really well,” Wacha said. “And able to keep them off balance for the most part. The defense was playing great behind me, whenever they put it in play, we got some big time outs.”

Sam Long closes it out

Sam Long retired the White Sox in order in the ninth inning, collecting two strikeouts. It was just his fourth career save and his first with the Royals.

“We talked about it early when we first called him up, he easily could have made the team out of the spring,” Quatraro said. “He had a great spring and he’s held his stuff all year. He’s been really good against righties and lefties. So really encouraging and really happy for him to do that.”

What’s next: The Royals will finish their season series with the White Sox on Wednesday. Brady Singer gets the start for the Royals, while Drew Thorpe goes for the White Sox. First pitch is set for 1:10 p.m.