Royals fall to Rangers 6-3 as bullpen lets game slip away

By MATT PIKE

The Kansas City Royals bullpen let a 3-2 lead slip away, the Texas Rangers tying up the game in the seventh inning, before scoring three unearned runs in the ninth inning to take the lead and winning 6-3 avoiding letting the Royals lock up a series win on Wednesday night. 

After the Rangers took the lead in the first inning on a solo home run by Wyatt Langford, the Royals took the lead in the bottom half scoring all their runs early in a three run inning.  After back to back singles by Mike Yastrzemski and Bobby Witt Jr, Vinnie Pasquantino homered for a third game in a row, his 25th of the season to drive in all three runs giving Kansas City a 3-1 lead. 

An RBI single by Marcus Semien off Royals starter Noah Cameron cut the lead to one driving in Langford in the third inning for the Rangers.  Then, in the seventh inning off reliever Lucas Erceg, Corey Seager hit an RBI single scoring Jonah Heim to tie up the game at 3-3.  The game remained tied until the ninth inning, when things fell apart for the Kansas City bullpen. 

With two outs, the bases wound up loaded for the Rangers after Langford walked, Seager reached on a fielding error, and Semien singled to third base.  With the bases loaded, Kyle Higashioka doubled, his 11th of the season, clearing the bases and driving in all three runs off Royals reliever Sam Long for the 6-3 lead.  After Long escaped the inning, Kansas City went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth against Hoby Milner to end the game. 

Long fell to 1-3 on the season taking the loss, pitching two innings and giving up three unearned runs on five hits with a strikeout and a walk.  At the plate, Witt Jr was 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored.  Pasquantino was 2-for-3 with two walks, the home run, and three RBIs.

Kansas City and Texas wrap up their series tomorrow.  Michael Lorenzen (5-8, 4.43 ERA) takes the mound for the Royals against Patrick Corbin (6-9, 4.45 ERA) for the Rangers.  First pitch will be joined at 1:10pm on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.