Isiah Kiner-Falefa has 3 hits to lead Pirates past Royals 4-3, avoid series sweep

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Isiah Kiner-Falefa had three hits, including a go-ahead single in the fifth inning, as the Pittsburgh Pirates avoided a three-game sweep with a 4-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.

Billy Cook lined a single to left to start the fifth and scored from first on a hit and run when Kiner-Falefa shot one to center past a diving Bobby Witt Jr. at short to put the Pirates ahead 3-2. Kiner-Falefa also singled in the first and sixth innings.

Kansas City's Brady Singer (9-11), who gave up four runs on six hits and four walks with six strikeouts in five innings, later walked Rowdy Tellez with the bases loaded to bring the Pittsburgh lead to 4-2.

Carmen Mlodzinski (3-5) pitched a perfect fifth inning in relief of Pirates starter Jared Jones, who allowed two runs and six hits in the first four. Aroldis Chapman struck out one in a perfect ninth for his ninth save.

The Royals, four games back of first-place Cleveland in the AL Central, had the bases loaded with two outs in the sixth. Colin Holderman walked Witt Jr. to bring in a run but Dennis Santana entered to get Salvador Perez to fly out and limit the damage.

Bryan Reynolds gave the Pirates an initial lead on a double into the left-field corner after Kiner-Falefa led off the first with a base hit.

Yuli Gurriel tied it 1-1 on a sacrifice fly in the second after Kansas City started the inning with a Paul DeJong single between two walks.

Tommy Pham opened the third with a triple off the top of the Clemente Wall in right. Witt Jr. flew out to Cook, whose throw home from right field beat Pham to preserve the tie.

Gurriel and Maikel Garcia hit consecutive one-out doubles to put the Royals ahead 2-1 the next inning.

Oneil Cruz led off the Pirates’ half of the fourth with a single and scored the tying run when Nick Gonzales grounded to third with the bases loaded.

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Royals: RHP Seth Lugo (16-8, 2.94 ERA) will start Monday to open a three-game home series against the Tigers. Detroit has not announced a starter.

Pirates: Rookie RHP Paul Skenes (10-2, 2.10) will take the mound Monday to start a four-game series in St. Louis, opposite Cardinals RHP Andre Pallante (6-8, 4.13).

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Kansas City Royals' Michael Massey, right, is greeted by Maikel Garcia (11) after scoring on a sacrifice fly by Yuli Gurriel off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jared Jones during the second inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Kansas City Royals' Tommy Pham, front, slides safely into third with a triple as the relay throw gets past Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Jared Triolo, back, during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Brady Singer delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Joey Bart, left, tags out Kansas City Royals' Tommy Pham, right, who was attempting to score from third base on a flyout to right field by Bobby Witt Jr. during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jared Jones delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. In honor of Roberto Clemente Day all Pirates wore No. 21. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Isiah Kiner-Falefa, lower right, scores on a double by Bryan Reynolds past Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez, left, with umpire Ryan Wills, upper right, watching the play during the first inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Billy Cook takes his position in right field at PNC Park during a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. A No. 21 was cut into right field and all Pirates wore the uniform number in honor of Roberto Clemente Day. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jared Jones delivers during the third inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

ROME (AP) — Salvatore “Totò” Schillaci, the Italy striker who was top scorer at its home World Cup in 1990, has died. He was 59.

Schillaci had been hospitalized in Palermo following treatment for colon cancer.

The Palermo Civico hospital said in a statement that Schillacci died on Wednesday morning after being admitted 11 days ago.

Schillaci scored six goals for Italy during the 1990 World Cup. He came on as a substitute during Italy’s opener against Austria, scored in a 1-0 victory, and went on to earn the Golden Boot awarded to the tournament’s top scorer. He only scored one other goal for Italy in his career.

Italian soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina announced that a minute of silence would be held in memory of Schillaci before all games in the country for the rest of the week.

“The uncontrollable celebrations, in which his face was the symbol of shared joy, will remain forever part of Italian soccer (history),” Gravina said. “Totò was a great player, a symbol of tenacious desire and redemption. ... His soccer was full of passion. And that fearless spirit made everyone appreciate him and will make him immortal.”

Schillaci also won the Golden Ball award at the 1990 World Cup as the tournament's top player ahead of Lothar Matthaus and Diego Maradona.

“Thank you for the emotions you gave us, for making us dream, cheer, hug and wave our Tricolore,” Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni wrote on X.

Schillaci played for Messina, Juventus, Inter Milan and Japanese team Jubilo Iwata during his club career.

“Ciao Totò,” Juventus said on Instagram.

“You made an entire nation dream during the Magical Nights of Italia ’90,” Inter said on its social media channels.

West Germany won the 1990 World Cup, beating Argentina in the final, while Italy beat England for third place with a winning penalty kick from Schillaci.

Roberto Baggio, who scored Italy's opening goal in the third-place match, wrote on Instagram, “Ciao my dear friend.”

With Schillaci having been born and raised in Palermo, the city will hold a public viewing of Schillaci at its Renzo Barbera stadium ahead of the funeral.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

FILE - Italian forward Salvatore "Totò" Schillaci, center, celebrates after scoring the first goal for Italy in the World Cup game against Czechoslovakia, in Rome, Italy, June 19, 1990. (AP Photo/Martin Cleaver, file)

FILE- Former Italian striker Salvatore "Totò" Schillaci is overcome by emotion as he arrives at the reality show "L'Isola dei Famosi" in Milan, Italy, Friday, Nov. 19, 2004. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni, file)

FILE - Italy's Salvatore "Totò" Schillaci, left, and Argentina's Juan Simon chase the ball during the Soccer World Cup semi-final, in Naples, Italy, July 3, 1990. (AP Photo, file)