Royals walked off in Texas 8-5
Despite battling back in the final three innings, the Royals suffered a crushing extra inning loss on a walk-off three run homer run by Jonah Heim and fell to the Rangers 8-5. It was Kansas City’s 21st loss in its last 25 games in Arlington.
With the odds stacked against them in facing two-time Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom, Kansas City attempted to break through with its struggling offense. However, only four hitters (Bobby Witt Jr, Vinnie Pasquantino, Kyle Isbel, Franmil Reyes) appeared comfortable against deGrom’s 100-mph heater.
The Rangers were first to strike in the bottom of the second on an RBI-single from Brad Miller, but the Royals answered right back in the top of the third with another RBI-single off the bat of Witt Jr.
In the top of the fourth, Reyes collected his first “non-homer” hit of the year — driving in Kansas City’s second run on a sinking line drive to right field. However, deGrom settled back in after that.
On the mound for the Royals was former Ranger Jordan Lyles. Though his stuff+ didn’t fall in the same stratosphere as deGrom, the 32-year-old held his own. He battled through his first six innings and allowed just three runs with three strikeouts and one walk. Unfortunately, he was left in one inning too long and the Rangers nicked him for another run in the seventh on an RBI-double from Marcus Semien.
In the top of the eighth, the Royals rallied immediately off the Texas bullpen. The first two reached and Salvador Perez dumped a single to center field to bring Kansas City within one.
Though the same ol’ struggles emerged when the pressure got too high. With the bases loaded and one out, Michael Massey and Nate Eaton flailed at balls out of the zone and struck out — ending the threat.
In the top of the ninth, Kansas City turned up the heat again. Isbel opened the frame with a two-strike single to center field and Nicky Lopez walked. With one out and runners at the corners, MJ Melendez ripped an RBI-single to right field to knot things up at four. Aroldis Chapman tossed a perfect ninth — sending the game into extras for the first time in 2023 for the Royals.
Massey avenged his poor plate appearance in the 10th as he gave the Royals their first lead on a sacrifice fly. In the bottom half, Kansas City was one out away with Scott Barlow on the bump thanks to an unbelievable play by Witt Jr.
But Adolis Garcia smacked an RBI-single up the middle and two hitters later Heim blasted a no-doubt, three-run, walk-off home run.
The Royals, 3-9, will wrap up the road trip tomorrow night. Brad Keller will go for Kansas City and Nathan Eovaldi will go for the Rangers. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. CT.
