Despite being limited to three hits Friday night in a 3-0 loss to the Atlanta Braves, the Kansas City Royals could sleep easy knowing that they would reach the playoffs for the first time since winning the 2015 World Series.

Baltimore’s 7-2 win over Minnesota assured the Royals of a playoff berth, after the Royals were shut out by the Braves at Truist Park. Starting pitcher Max Fried was one pitch shy of a complete game shutout, throwing just 98 pitches in 8.2 innings, striking out nine batters and allowing two walks. Two of the three hits off Fried were doubles by Michael Massey, with the second coming with two outs in the ninth after Fried walked Bobby Witt Jr. That summoned reliever Raisel Iglesias, who needed just one pitch to get Salvador Perez to pop out, resulting in the Royals going 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

Brady Singer took the loss, allowing a two-run home run in the fourth to Sean Murphy. Singer gave up four hits and three walks while striking out five. Atlanta added an insurance run when Perez overthrew third base on a pickoff attempt, the second of Kansas City’s errors on the night.

Detroit’s win over the White Sox now have the Royals (85-75) in the third wild card spot, which would put the Royals on the road to Houston for the first round of the playoffs. Baltimore’s win over Minnesota not only eliminated the Twins, it also assures the Orioles of the top wild card spot. Game two of the Royals’ series in Atlanta is set for this Saturday evening, with pregame at 5:30 p.m. and first pitch at 6:20 p.m. on KMMO-FM 102.9.