KANSAS CITY, Mo. — — The Kansas City Royals‘ late-season losing streak stretched to five on Friday night with a 2-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants.
Kansas City dropped four games behind Baltimore for the first AL wild card spot and saw its lead cut to one game over Minnesota for the second of the three wild cards.
Mason Black (1-4) pitched shutout ball over a career-high 5 2/3 innings for already eliminated San Francisco, limiting the Royals to four hits.
Kansas City went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine runners, including three runners in scoring position in the first two innings.
Michael Wacha (13-8) gave up two runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings.
In a game moved up to 4:10 p.m. CDT because of a forecast of bad weather, San Francisco RHP Landen Roupp (0-1, 3.02 ERA) is to start Saturday against Kansas CIty RHP Brady Singer (9-11, 3.53 ERA).