Bobby Witt Jr. hit a go-ahead home run and Cole Ragans pitched six effective innings to help the Kansas City Royals end a three-game skid with a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday.

Ragans (4-4) struck out nine while allowing eight hits and all three Chicago runs. He struck out three straight batters to end his final inning.

The Cubs started the day 2 1/2 games behind Milwaukee in the NL Central standings and missed a chance to creep closer after striking out 13 times. Carlos Hernández, the last of four Royals relievers, pitched the ninth for his second save in five chances.

Jameson Taillon (7-8) was charged with two earned runs after allowing six hits and striking out three in the first six innings.

Kansas City’s Matt Duffy reached on an error to start the sixth before Witt knocked his 24th homer of the season into center field.

The Royals took the lead in the third on Kyle Isbel’s RBI single and got another run an inning later on Salvador Perez’s sacrifice fly.

The Cubs answered with a three-run, five-hit fourth that included RBI singles from Jeimer Candelario and Christopher Morel.

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Royals RHP Brady Singer (8-8, 4.91) faces Cubs LHP Justin Steele (13-3, 2.79) on Saturday.