Kansas City needed one inning to turn the game its way, and the sixth inning delivered. The Royals answered a Giants go-ahead run with two of their own, beat Tyler Mahle's bullpen support, and closed it out 3-2 at Kauffman Stadium.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| KC | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | X | 3 | 8 | 1 |
Luinder Avila carried the Royals through 6.1 innings, allowing 2 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits with 7 strikeouts and just 1 walk across 87 pitches. He kept San Francisco off balance most of the night before handing off to a Kansas City bullpen that covered 2.2 innings without allowing a run. Alex Lange worked the ninth for his 9th save of the season, striking out 2 in a scoreless frame.
Carter Jensen opened the scoring with a solo homer to right center in the third, putting Kansas City ahead 1-0. San Francisco answered in the fifth: Gilbert singled to right to tie it at 1-1, scoring J. Rodríguez, and then Ramos grounded into a fielder's choice that let Gilbert cross the plate as Koss reached third on a throwing error by shortstop Tolbert, putting the Giants up 2-1. But Kansas City reclaimed the lead in the sixth. Pasquantino singled to center to tie it at 2-2, scoring Collins, and Loftin followed with a single to left that brought home Perez, the go-ahead run that put the Royals up 2-3 and held for good.
Tyler Mahle took the loss for San Francisco, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits over 5.0 innings with 4 strikeouts and a walk, falling to 2-9 with a 5.31 ERA. The Giants' bullpen kept the game close after that, covering 3.0 scoreless innings across four relievers, but the offense could not find another run.
The win was Kansas City's second straight, improving the Royals to 42-60. San Francisco dropped its fourth in a row, falling to 42-59.