Bobby Witt Jr stepped up to the moment Saturday, Aug. 30 before a national audience, blasting an 0-1 pitch over center field for the game-winning home run, leading to a 3-1 win for the Kansas City Royals over the Detroit Tigers.

After reliever Tyler Holton allowed a walk to pinch hitter Tyler Tolbert, Witt arrived at the plate with one out in the eighth. After Witt fouled off the first pitch, he connected on a four-seam fastball that left little doubt for the Kauffman Stadium faithful. Witt went two-for-four in the game, singling in the first, but was then left on base after Maikel Garcia grounded into a double play. The Tigers scored in the third when Trey Sweeney came home on a Gleyber Torres single. The Royals would respond with one out in the fourth by way of Garcia’s solo home run to left field.

Lucas Erceg pitched a scoreless eighth with one strikeout to get his sixth win of the season, while Carlos Estévez recorded his 36th save of the year. Starting pitcher Stephen Kolek, making his first start as a Royal since arriving from San Diego, turned in a quality start, allowing the one run on four hits in six innings, striking out three.

Coupled with Seattle’s loss to Cleveland, the Royals (70-66) now sit just two games behind the Mariners for the third wild card, while trailing Detroit in the AL Central by 8.5 games. The Royals are projected to send Michael Wacha to the mound for the series win Sunday afternoon, while the Tigers have ace Tarik Skubal lined up. First pitch from The K is at 1:10 p.m., with pregame at 12:30 p.m. on KMMO-AM 1300.