Royals Fall to Brewers 8-5 in Series Finale

Royals unable to overcome early deficits in loss, head to Cleveland with 4-5 record

Apr. 5, 2026 at 9:21pm

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The Kansas City Royals fell to the Milwaukee Brewers 8-5 in the rubber match of their series, unable to overcome early deficits despite several late-inning rallies. Kris Bubic struggled early, allowing a three-run first inning, and the Royals played catch-up the rest of the way, cutting the lead to one run multiple times but ultimately falling short.

Why it matters

The loss drops the Royals back under .500 at 4-5 on the season, as they head to Cleveland for their next series. The team has struggled to hold leads late in games, being outscored 14-0 in the 9th inning so far this year, an area they'll need to improve on to stay competitive in the AL Central.

The details

Bubic got off to a rough start, walking William Contreras to open the game before Christian Yelich tripled and Gary Sánchez hit a two-run homer to put the Brewers up 3-0. The Royals fought back, with Maikel Garcia hitting a solo shot in the 3rd and the team threatening in the 7th, but ultimately couldn't overcome the early deficit.

  • The game was played on April 5, 2026.
  • The Royals now head to Cleveland for their next series, with the first pitch set for 5:10 p.m. CT on April 6.

The players

Kris Bubic

The Royals starting pitcher, who struggled early and was unable to keep the team in the game.

William Contreras

The Brewers catcher, who drew a leadoff walk in the first inning to set the table for Milwaukee's big inning.

Christian Yelich

The Brewers outfielder, who hit an RBI triple in the first inning to open the scoring.

Gary Sánchez

The Brewers designated hitter, who followed Yelich's triple with a two-run homer to put Milwaukee up 3-0.

Maikel Garcia

The Royals infielder, who hit a solo home run in the 3rd inning to get Kansas City on the board.

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What they’re saying

“We just couldn't overcome those early deficits today. We fought hard to get back in it, but couldn't quite get over the hump.”

— Bobby Witt Jr., Royals Infielder

What’s next

The Royals will look to bounce back in their upcoming series against the Cleveland Guardians, with the first game set for 5:10 p.m. CT on April 6.

The takeaway

The Royals' inability to hold late-inning leads has been a recurring issue so far this season, an area they'll need to improve on if they want to stay competitive in the AL Central. The loss drops them back under .500, but they'll have a chance to get back on track in Cleveland.