Kansas City, Mo. – Vinnie Pasquantino doubled, homered and drove in five runs to lead the Kansas City Royals to an 8-5 victory over the Washington Nationals on August 12, 2025, at Kauffman Stadium. The win brought the Royals to .500 at 60-60, keeping them in third place in the American League Central, while the Nationals dropped to 47-72, remaining last in the National League East.
Pasquantino’s performance highlighted a game where Kansas City built an early lead and held off a Washington rally. In the first inning, he hit a sacrifice fly to score Maikel Garcia, giving the Royals a 1-0 edge. His three-run homer in the third off Nationals starter Mitchell Parker extended the advantage to 4-0. Pasquantino added a two-run double in the seventh, pushing the score to 8-4. The Royals collected 10 hits, with Jonathan India contributing a two-run homer in the sixth.
Michael Wacha earned the win for Kansas City, improving to 7-9 with a 3.35 ERA after allowing two runs on five hits over 5 2/3 innings, striking out three. Relievers Sam Long, John Schreiber, Taylor Clarke and Lucas Erceg combined for 3 1/3 innings, with Erceg securing his second save by retiring the side in the ninth. Wacha’s outing marked his third quality start in four August appearances, as he induced six groundouts and four flyouts on 79 pitches, 51 for strikes.
Parker took the loss for Washington, falling to 7-13 with a 5.55 ERA. He surrendered five runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings, striking out three but allowing the decisive homer to Pasquantino. Relievers Caleb Pilkington, Mario Ribalta and Reid Poulin followed, with Pilkington yielding two runs in two-thirds of an inning. The Nationals’ staff issued six walks and hit a batter, contributing to Kansas City’s scoring opportunities.
Washington’s offense managed five runs on 10 hits, with CJ Abrams going 2 for 5, including a triple and an RBI single, driving in two. James Wood doubled and singled, scoring twice and adding an RBI. Luis Garcia Jr. tripled to plate a run in the fifth, and Daylen Lile singled home Paul DeJong in the eighth. The Nationals went 2 for 6 with runners in scoring position, stranding six, and hit into a double play.
For the Nationals, the loss extended a skid in a season focused on youth development. Washington, in its sixth year post-2019 World Series title, fields a roster with prospects like Wood, batting .261 with 26 doubles, and Abrams, at .267 with 46 RBIs. The team ranks last in the NL East, 16 games under .500 entering the game, with playoff odds below 0.1 percent. Parker’s 13 losses lead the staff, reflecting rotation struggles, though the bullpen has occasional bright spots.
The series continues August 13 with Washington sending Patrick Corbin against Kansas City’s Seth Lugo.
This matchup underscores baseball’s unpredictability, with Pasquantino’s multi-hit game propelling Kansas City. As the season progresses, both teams focus on development, offering glimpses of future potential for their fan bases.
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