KANSAS CITY — The Guardians closed the regular season Sunday with a 3-2 loss to the Royals, ending the afternoon with little at stake beyond getting through the finale healthy before the playoffs begin.
Kansas City struck first in the opening inning when Salvador Perez singled home Maikel Garcia, but Cleveland answered in the third. Daniel Schneemann led off the inning with his seventh home run of the season, tying the game at 1.
The Royals moved back ahead in the fifth on Vinnie Pasquantino’s solo homer, but Jo Adell answered one inning later with his 23rd home run of the year to make it 2-2.
Cleveland had a chance to do more damage in the sixth. Nathaniel Lowe singled and David Fry followed with another hit, putting runners at second and third after an error in center field. The Guardians could not cash in, however, as Angel Genao grounded out and Patrick Bailey struck out to end the threat.
That missed opportunity proved costly.
Pasquantino came up again in the eighth and launched his second solo home run of the game, giving Kansas City a 3-2 lead. Cleveland had one final chance in the ninth when Schneemann singled with two outs and stole second, but Petey Halpin popped out to end the game.
Parker Messick started for Cleveland and allowed one run on six hits over three innings. Austin Peterson followed with five innings of relief, allowing two runs on three hits with five strikeouts and two walks. Both runs he allowed came on Pasquantino homers.
Schneemann finished 2-for-4 with a home run and scored one of Cleveland’s two runs, while Adell went 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk. David Fry also had two hits as the Guardians finished with eight.
The loss ends Cleveland’s regular season, but the larger work begins now. The Guardians enter the postseason as American League Central champions for the third year in a row and will have a first-round bye before beginning the American League Division Series.
What’s Next
The Guardians will have several days off before opening the American League Division Series.
