By MATT PIKE
Royals rookie John Rave hit his first two career home runs in Kansas City's opener to the second half of the MLB season, but it would not be enough as Miami's Kyle Stowers also homered twice, and the Marlins beat the Royals 8-7 on a walk off in extra innings.
With Seth Lugo on the mound, one of the hottest pitchers in the Royals rotation before the All Star break, the Marlins got out to an early lead in the first inning with Jesús Sánchez hitting a solo home run, before with a runner on Stowers hit his first home run of the game to extend the lead putting Miami up 3-0 at the end of one inning.
Lugo settled in after the rough first inning, striking out two batters before getting a ground out to end the second inning. But in the third, after Xavier Edwards led the inning off with a double, Edwards scored as Otto Lopez doubled to continue extending the lead for the Marlins. Stowers drove in his third run of the game with an RBI single in the inning that scored Lopez to put Miami up 5-0 by the end of the third inning.
Trailing big entering the fourth, the Royals managed to cut the lead to one run scoring four runs. Back to back singles by Maikel Garcia and Salvador Perez led off the inning, and after Jac Caglianone struck out, Nick Loftin got Kansas City on the board with an RBI single driving in Garcia. With runners on first and second, Rave stepped to the plate and hit his first major league home run to right field, scoring both Perez and Loftin, to make the Marlins lead 5-4.
And that is where the lead would stay, at least until the ninth inning, when with one out Rave blasted his second home run of his career to tie up the game, setting up extra innings for the Royals. After Kansas City was unable to add more runs, Lucas Erceg came on and only surrendered a single to Graham Pauley forcing extra innings and sending the game to the 10th inning tied 5-5.
With Jonathan India starting the extra inning at second base, Bobby Witt Jr led the frame off with a single, and stole second base to get into scoring position. With two outs, Adam Frazier pinch hit for Luke Maile, who had come on as a defensive replacement at catcher after Tyler Tolbert pinch ran for Perez, and Frazier gave the Royals what they were looking for when they traded for him, a hit with runners in scoring position, doubling into right field, bringing home India and Witt Jr, to give the Royals a 7-5 lead.
But in the bottom half of the inning, All Star closer Carlos Estévez took the mound, and after getting an out to start the inning gave up a single to Agustín Ramírez, driving in Derek Hill who started the inning at second base. Ramírez was replaced by pinch runner Javier Sanoja, but it would not be necessary as with a 1-1 count, Stowers sent the ball sailing into the right field stands for the walk off two run home run.
Estévez took the loss, falling to 4-3 on the season and blowing his sixth save, pitching 1/3 of an inning and giving up three runs, two earned, on two hits. Lugo pitched six innings and gave up five runs on eight hits while striking out five in a no decision. At the plate, Rave was 2-for-4 with the two home runs and four RBIs. Perez was 2-for-3 with a double and a walk.
Kansas City and Miami continue the second half tomorrow. Michael Wacha (4-9, 3.74 ERA) takes the mound for the Royals against Cal Quantrill (3-8, 5.62 ERA) for the Marlins. First pitch is at 3:10pm, pregame coverage begins at 2:30 on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.