Frazier's home run robbery fuels big win -- and impresses an NFL MVP

KANSAS CITY -- Seth Lugo was worried the ball was leaving the park. Parker Meadows was pretty sure the ball was gone. Javier Báez was certain of it.

Adam Frazier appeared to be the only one with doubts about Meadows’ knock as it soared toward him in the third inning. The Royals’ right fielder sprinted to the warning track, camped out and executed a picture-perfect stutter-step for additional height as he skied at the wall to rob Meadows of a hit and extend what at that point was a no-hitter for Lugo.

Equally remarkable was how well Frazier stuck the landing. In one fluid motion, Frazier planted his feet, spun and fired a laser to first base to double off the speedy Báez.

“Without that, it’s a completely different game,” Lugo said. “It’s 2-1 in the ninth, and they’ve got the closer going.

“That won the game for us.”

Had Lugo not lost the no-no in the next inning, Frazier’s snag would have been the catch -- the play everyone looks back on as the one that preserved the bid. Frazier’s defense still helped Lugo earn his fourth victory of the season and lower his ERA to 1.66 during Kansas City’s 8-0 win against the Tigers at Comerica Park on Friday afternoon.

Frazier’s glovework was just as important to Kansas City, which held the slimmest advantage, having at that point earned its lone run on a Bobby Witt Jr. sac fly that scored Frazier in the third.

“It was crazy. It got us hyped up, and it was a great game-saving catch, I believe,” said Witt, who finished with a two-run triple and three RBIs. “… It’s one of those catches that you’re around the game for a while, you play the game for a long time and you’ve never seen one in person, but I got to witness that, and it was incredible.”

In addition to the big play, all the little things that have clicked lately for the Royals continued to do so throughout Kansas City’s fourth consecutive victory.

Frazier’s early-game heroics served to fuel Lugo, who was already pitching like his hair was on fire. The right-hander was nearly unhittable in the series opener, striking out a career-high-tying nine and allowing just three singles across his seven scoreless frames.

Lugo employed his entire arsenal, using his four-seamer to set up a handful of offspeed pitches that kept the Tigers guessing and drew 13 swings and misses.

“When he locates, he’s unique, because he can make the ball move in every direction,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “And clearly today, he was hitting the corners pretty well. It gave them fits.”

Lugo iced Detroit’s bats long enough to allow the Royals to heat up at the plate and outlast Tigers starter Reese Olson, who struck out eight in his seven innings. While Frazier’s catch denied Detroit two runs, a lead and the momentum of a one-run lead, it also bought the Royals some breathing room as they waited for the offense to heat up.

It took until the ninth, but the Royals didn’t disappoint, stringing together a seven-run frame that blew the game wide open against a Detroit bullpen that led the Majors in ERA (2.06) coming into Friday.

The tone of the game would have been different had Frazier not brought Meadows’ drive back inside the park six innings prior, and maybe the outcome would have been, too.

Olson certainly thought so.

“It would've been awesome [had it gone over],” he said. “Incredible play. Would've liked to see it go over the fence, obviously."

As impressive as Frazier’s catch was -- he elevated a full arm’s length above the yellow piping along the top of the outfield fence -- it wasn’t the first time the Royals have drawn rave reviews for improbable defense. Heck, it wasn’t even the first time this week: On Thursday evening, Kyle Isbel made a tumbling catch in the pouring rain to preserve Kansas City’s lead and eventual win in the series finale against the Blue Jays.

Many had labeled Isbel’s snag the Royals’ “catch of the year,” but it didn’t take long for some competition to surface.

Isbel and Frazier, who on Friday made just his 33rd start in right field during his nine-year MLB career, have certainly set the bar high lately. But only one earned props from Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who reposted a clip showcasing Frazier’s play followed by three “mind blown” emojis.

“He wows me sometimes, so to wow him, that’s pretty cool,” Frazier said.