By MATT PIKE
Leody Taveras hit a grand slam during a five-run 12th inning, and the Baltimore Orioles held on for a wild 7-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium, handing the Royals their eighth straight loss.
Seth Lugo allowed one hit in seven innings for the Royals and left with a 1-0 lead thanks to Jac Caglianone's first home run of the season — a one-out 437-foot shot to right field in the second inning. But after the home run, the offense again went cold, Kansas City stranding 11 baserunners in the first six innings. Despite that, the Royals held the lead until the ninth inning, bringing on Lucas Erceg for the save.
With Erceg on the mound, after Lugo and Matt Strahm held Baltimore to just one hit, and allowed five baserunners total, down to their last strike in the ninth inning, Samuel Basallo tied it at one all with Baltimore's second hit of the game, an RBI single that scored Dylan Beavers, who reached on a force out at second base.
After a scoreless 10th inning, the Orioles were again down to their last strike in the 11th inning. when Beavers singled off John Schreiber to score automatic runner Blaze Alexander for a 2-1 lead. But in the bottom half of the inning, Bobby Witt Jr. tied the game with a two-out, two-strike RBI single off Orioles reliever Anthony Nunez, driving in automatic runner Isaac Collins.
Basallo then led off the 12th with a single off Alex Lange, scoring automatic runner Coby Mayo to make it 3-2. The wheels fell off from there as Jeremiah Jackson singled and Weston Wilson walked to load the bases for Taveras, whose first career slam traveled 419 feet to center field extending the lead to 7-2.
Royals fans began to pour to the to the exits, but Kansas City did make it interesting in the bottom half when Nick Loftin hit a bases-clearing double off Cameron Foster, scoring automatic runner Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Perez, and Lane Thomas after Thomas walked and Perez singled. After that, the rookie retired the next three batters, striking out Kyle Isbel to end the game.
Lugo, who lowered his ERA to 1.15 with a no decision in the game. Lange took the loss, falling to 0-2 out of the bullpen, pitching one inning and giving up five runs, four earned, on three hits with two strikeouts and a walk, ballooning his ERA to 8.38. At the plate, the Royals stranded 16 total runners for the game and outhit the Orioles 14-6. Perez was 3-for-6 with a run scored. Maikel Garcia was also 3-for-6, while Witt Jr was 2-for-5 with a walk and an RBI.
Kansas City will try again to snap that losing streak against Baltimore on Tuesday. Kris Bubic (2-1, 3.97 ERA, 26K's) takes the mound for the Royals opposite Shane Baz (0-2, 4.91 ERA, 19K's) for the Orioles. First pitch is at 6:40pm, pregame will be at 6 on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.