Noah Cameron extends historic run, Royals avoid sweep against Reds

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Royals rookie Noah Cameron has joined some exclusive company.

Cameron became just the second pitcher since 1893 to allow one run or less and pitch 6.1+ innings in each of his first four professional starts, helping guide Kansas City (30-27) to a 3-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds (28-29). Cleveland's Cody Anderson (2015) was the first player to achieve that feat.

The young left-hander added to his impressive run in Wednesday's win, allowing just one earned run on six hits with a pair of strikeouts over 6.1 innings. Cameron has posted a 1.05 ERA over his first 25.2 innings at the professional level.

Kansas City supplied him with just enough run support in the series finale to help him secure his second career win. Drew Waters delivered a fourth-inning RBI single that put the Royals ahead 1-0, and then, Bobby Witt Jr. doubled that lead with an RBI double to right field in the fifth frame. Waters and Witt Jr. were two of six different players who recorded at least one hit for Kansas City.

Cincinnati pulled within one run of tying the game in the sixth inning, but Witt Jr. responded to the challenge with a sacrifice fly in the seventh frame to regain a two-run advantage. The Royals shortstop led the team with two RBIs.

Spencer Steer tallied a second RBI single in the eighth inning to cut Cincinnati's deficit back down to one run, but Carlos Estevez retired the side in order in the final frame with two strikeouts to secure his 15th save of the season and help the Royals avoid the sweep.

Collectively, Kansas City out-hit Cincinnati by a 9-8 margin, propelled by a pair of two-hit efforts from Jonathan India and Maikel Garcia.

Up next - The Royals will be tested by the owner of Major League Baseball's best record. Kansas City hosts the Detroit Tigers (37-20) in a divisional rivalry series, starting on May 30 at 7:10 p.m.