Carter Jensen absolutely delivered a two-run single in the bottom of the 10th inning, capping a stunning four-run rally that snatched a 7-6 victory for the Kansas City Royals over the San Diego Padres on Friday night. What a rollercoaster, man! The Royals, who have been struggling in last place, stopped a painful five-game losing streak with that insane walk-off, their first since May 8.
The 10th Inning Was Pure Chaos
This game was a total gut punch, then a pure adrenaline shot. Heading into the 10th, the Padres looked like they had it locked down. They piled on three runs, taking a commanding 6-3 lead. Miguel Andujar smacked his third double of the night for an RBI, Fernando Tatis Jr. added a run-scoring single, and Xander Bogaerts finished it with a sacrifice fly. It felt like it was over. But Lucas Erceg came in and retired Manny Machado, leaving Tatis on third and giving the Royals a sliver of hope. And boy, did they take it. Salvador Perez kicked off the bottom of the 10th with a leadoff single, sending automatic runner Vinnie Pasquantino to third. Then Michael Massey, who had three hits on the night, hit an infield single that scored Pasquantino. Nick Loftin dropped a bunt single to load the bases, still with nobody out. Isaac Collins then hit a groundout that cut the lead to 6-5, leaving runners on second and third. That set the stage for Jensen, and he bounced a single into left field for his first career game-ending hit. Unbelievable!
Twists and Turns Before the Final Punch
Before the crazy 10th, this game had a ton of drama already. Lane Thomas got the scoring started early for the Royals, launching a 445-foot bomb into the left-field fountains in the second inning, the first home run Padres starter Michael King had allowed since June 10. The Padres took a 2-1 lead in the fifth thanks in part to an error by Massey at second base, which broke his impressive 81-game errorless streak that stretched back to September 18, 2025. Kansas City battled back to tie it in the sixth on a throwing error from Bogaerts at shortstop and even regained the lead in the eighth on Massey’s two-out single. The Royals also turned three double plays to bail out starter Seth Lugo, who went six innings allowing two runs, only one earned, and four hits. King, for his part, gave up one run and four hits over five innings. And remember that wild ninth inning? The Padres’ Ty France crushed a solo homer with two outs to tie the game at 3-3. The Royals had a golden chance to win it then and there, loading the bases with nobody out after Jensen’s double against All-Star closer Mason Miller. But Miller dug deep and struck out the next three batters, sending us to extras. What a missed opportunity, but it just made the 10th even sweeter.
The Padres will try to bounce back on Saturday with RHP Griffin Canning (1-7, 6.47 ERA) on the mound. The Royals hadn’t announced their starter, but after that electric comeback, momentum is definitely on their side. Can they build on this incredible win? You bet every fan in that stadium is hyped to find out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Leave a Reply