By MATT PIKE
The Kansas City Royals blew a lead in the ninth inning, gave away a tie game in the top of the 10th, and then walked off the San Diego Padres in the bottom half, winning 7-6 at Kauffman Stadium.
Lane Thomas hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning to start the scoring for the last-place Royals, who stopped a five-game losing streak. In the fifth inning, the Padres took a 2-1 lead when Ty France and Miguel Andujar scored on a fielders choice combined with a fielding error by Michael Massey.
The Royals tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, also on a fielders choice combined with a throwing error by Padres shortsop Xander Bogaerts, scoring Salvador Perez. In the bottom of the eighth inning Kansas City took the lead, after Vinnie Pasquantino stole second base, on an RBI single from Massey that brought Pasquantino home for the 3-2 lead.
Alex Lange entered the game in the ninth inning having not given up a run this season when entering in a save situation. But, with two outs in the ninth inning, France launched a solo home run for the Padres to tie the score. After a scoreless bottom half of the ninth, Lucas Erceg took the mound in the tenth and surrendered three runs, Miguel Andujar's RBI double driving in courtesy runner Jake Cronenworth, an RBI single from Fernando Tatis Jr. scoring Andujar, and a sacrifice fly by Bogaerts bringing home Sung-Mun Song for a 6-3 lead.
In the bottom half of the 10th, the Royals rallied back though, loading the bases on back-to-back-to-back singles from Perez, Massey, and Nick Loftin before a groundout from Isaac Collins scored Perez. With two runners on and one out, Carter Jensen hit a two-run single to cap a four-run rally for the 7-6 win.
Royals starting pitcher Seth Lugo was strong on the mound for six innings giving up two runs, one earned, on four hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Erceg earned the win, improving to 4-3 on the season, giving up three runs, one earned in one inning on two hits. At the plate, Jensen was 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI's. Massey was 3-for-5 with two RBI's and a run scored.
Kansas City and San DIego continue their series tomorrow. Randy Dobnak (0-0, 1.86 ERA, 4K's) will make his first start of the season, and first start since 2021, for the Royals against Griffin Canning (1-7, 6.47 ERA, 55K's) for the Padres. First pitch is at 3:10pm, pregame will air at 2:30 on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.