Here’s how the Kansas City Royals walked off the Seattle Mariners for a wild, wild win
Kansas City Royals outfielder Dairon Blanco didn’t start Monday’s game, but he ended up making the biggest play of the night.
Blanco laid down a sacrifice bunt to drive home the winning run as the Royals beat the Seattle Mariners 7-6 at Kauffman Stadium.
It was a gutsy play in the bottom of the ninth, but Blanco said his forethought in the on-deck circle led to his heroic efforts.
“I had the heads-up instinct that if we had (runners at) first and third with less than two outs, I was going to bunt,” Blanco said through an interpreter. “The situation came up. I got it done and we won the ballgame.”
The Royals improved to 39-81 with the walk-off finish. Blanco had entered the game in the eighth inning as a defensive replacement. He took over in left field for MJ Melendez, batting fifth in the order.
The Mariners made a ferocious comeback after nearly being no-hit by Royals pitcher Brady Singer. Seattle was hitless until the seventh, then scored four runs in the eighth and two in the ninth.
That set the stage for Mariners reliever Matt Brash. He looked to finish a save opportunity against the top of the Royals lineup.
The Royals didn’t make it easy. Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. led off with a single, part of a 4-for-5 evening that included an inside-the-park homer in the fifth.
“I was trying to help out the team,” Witt said. “Just trying to get on and get something going.”
When Royals second baseman Michael Massey singled and Witt raced to third base, KC manager Matt Quatraro sent in speedster Samad Taylor to run for Massey.
Taylor stole second and set the table for the game-winning sequence.
“We don’t know for sure if they are going to throw there or not,” Quatraro said of Taylor’s stolen base. “The pitcher is right on the edge of being too quick to run on. It’s a nerve-wracking situation, where you are taking a chance as you don’t want to line into a double play.”
Salvador Perez was next up: The Royals’ captain hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game. And then Taylor scored as Blanco laid down a perfect bunt.
“Getting second and third there was the difference in the game,” Quatraro said.
Blanco agreed. He said that Taylor’s smart play to steal second base was the catalyst for the Royals’ comeback.
“That was really good,” Blanco said. “He went out there and got his job done and got to second base. Salvy (followed) with the sac fly and we score a run. That set me up for a good situation to get the bunt down and win the ballgame.”
The Royals now have seven walk-off victories this season. And they’ve won eight of their last nine at Kauffman Stadium.
