How KC Royals’ season-long skid hit 6 games with loss to rival Cleveland Guardians

The Kansas City Royals are slumping at the wrong time.

After taking three of four against the Cleveland Guardians last week, the Royals on Monday lost their sixth consecutive game, falling 4-2 to the Guardians at Kauffman Stadium.

The Guardians (79-59) now hold a 4.5-game lead over the Royals (75-64) in the American League Central.

The Royals ran into another dominant pitcher on Labor Day. Veteran Cleveland right-hander Gavin Williams allowed one hit — a double by Maikel Garcia RBI — in seven innings.

The Royals had few scoring opportunities. Williams threw 62 of his 98 pitches for strikes and strategically worked the strike zone. He kept the Royals off-balance with a four-seam fastball that averaged 96.3 mph.

He generated 26 swings with the fastball and also mixed in a curveball, slider and cutter. The curveball produced 14 swings and seven whiffs, per Baseball Savant.

The Guardians gave Williams ample run support. Cleveland sluggers Lane Thomas and Josh Naylor each hit two-run homers.

Thomas gave the Guardians a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning. He homered on an 89.8 mph cutter from Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha. Later, Naylor hit his 29th of the year off KC left-handed reliever Kris Bubic.

Wacha took the loss. He allowed two earned runs in five innings.

The Royals scored a run in the eighth inning, but Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase shut the door for his 41st save.

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Here are more notable aspects of Monday’s game:

Yuli Gurriel exits in 8th inning

The Royals are dealing with yet another injury.

First baseman Yuli Gurriel departed with tightness in his right hamstring after hitting a leadoff double in the eighth inning.

Never quite running full-steam, Gurriel rounded first base and proceeded even more gingerly toward second. Royals bench coach Paul Hoover, acting manager Monday as Matt Quatraro attended to a personal matter, came out to check on Gurriel, followed by members of the KC training staff.

At that point, Gurriel was removed from the game and catcher Freddy Fermin was summoned to pinch-run. Fermin scored on Kyle Isbel’s sacrifice fly.

With Gurriel out, the Royals shuffled their defensive alignment in the ninth. Fermin stayed in the game to catch while captain Salvador Perez moved to first base.

Gurriel was acquired from the Atlanta Braves on Saturday, joining Tommy Pham and Robbie Grossman as the Royals’ newest additions.

What’s next on the KC Royals’ schedule:

The Royals continue their three-game series against the Guardians. On Tuesday night, Royals right-hander Brady Singer draws the start at home.

Singer is 6-5 with a 2.88 ERA in 14 outings at Kauffman Stadium. In his last start against the Guardians (June 6 at Progressive Field), he allowed nine hits and three runs (two earned) in 3 2/3 innings.

The Guardians will start right-handed pitcher Tanner Bibee. The Royals scored five runs against Bibee in his last outing (Aug. 28).