The KC Royals picked up more than a sweep in Cincinnati Sunday

A rain delay of almost an hour interrupted the KC Royals and Cincinnati at Great American Ball Park Sunday. But it didn't dampen the Royals' quest for another series sweep — instead, Kansas City did what playoff contenders must late in the season. Behind stellar pitching, especially from Brady Singer who threw six shutout innings, and good hitting, the club took the lead early, never relinquished it, and scored an easy 8-1 victory over the Reds.

But winning all three from Cincinnati, an accomplishment in and of itself considering the Reds are, like the Royals, contending for the right to play October baseball, wasn't all there was to KC's Sunday.

The KC Royals' postseason picture got a little better Sunday

Kansas City picked up the 69th win of its season, and its 16th since the All-Star Break. But no matter how often the club wins, it always seems Cleveland, Minnesota, and Boston, currently their chief rivals for a playoff berth, also win, which means the Royals maintain, but don't gain, ground.

Sunday was different. The Royals won, but everyone else lost. Milwaukee shut out the Guardians 2-0, Texas pushed across a run in the bottom of the 10th to beat the Twins, and Baltimore held off two late Boston scores to defeat the Red Sox 4-2.

With 38 games left on their schedule, the third-place Royals are now solid contenders for the American League Central crown — they trail first-place Cleveland by only three games and the second-place Twins by just three.

And the AL Wild Card race? Kansas City leads Boston by 3.5 games for the third and final Wild Card and are only a mere game behind Minnesota for the second.

As they say, things are getting interesting.

Lucas Erceg solidified his leading bullpen role

It's only been a few days since Lucas Erceg, obtained from the A's via a trade deadline swap that looks better for the Royals every time he pitches, bailed Sam Long out of an eighth-inning jam and finished off Minnesota in the ninth to save a Kansas City win.

He did it again Sunday, this time taking over from Long in the seventh with only one out, the bases loaded, and the tying run on first. Erceg did what Erceg does — he struck out dangerous Elly De La Cruz for the second out, and Spencer Steer swinging for the third, then allowed only a hit and fanned two Reds in a scoreless eighth. That left James McArthur to close out Cincinnati in order in the final frame.

Erceg's performance did nothing less than strengthen the Royals by further solidifying his new spot as the pitcher manager Matt Quatraro relies on in late nail-biting situations. Erceg still hasn't given up a run since joining the Royals, and in eight games and 9.1 innings has 11 strikeouts and hasn't issued a walk.

Bobby Witt Jr. reached an important early career milestone

Witt, making the most of his third big league season with his major league-leading .350 average and 173 hits — he also has 35 doubles, 11 triples, 25 homers, 91 RBI, and 25 steals — was 0-for-3 when he stepped to the plate in the ninth inning Sunday. He promptly rapped his only hit of the game, a single to right that scored Kyle Isbel with the seventh of Kansas City's eight runs.

The ball is certainly headed for Witt's trophy case. That single was his 500th career hit, a mark he reached in his 432nd major league game.

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