With backs against the wall, Royals walked off Padres 7-6 at The K. Here’s how
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Royals rallied for a 7-6 walk-off win over the Padres at Kauffman Stadium.
- Carter Jensen delivered a two-run, walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th.
- Lucas Ecreg earned the win as the Royals snapped their five-game losing streak.
The Kansas City Royals welcomed the San Diego Padres to Kauffman Stadium on Friday night in both teams’ return to action following Major League Baseball’s All-Star break.
It proved to be the perfect setting for the first walkoff of Carter Jensen’s young major-league career.
The Park Hill High School product’s winning hit lifted the Royals to a 7-6 victory and capped a wild night of back-and-forth baseball.
The Padres were first to surge ahead in the extra inning — only one was required. Miguel Andujar fueled San Diego’s three-run 10th to give the visitors a 6-3 advantage.
The Royals didn’t surrender, scoring four runs in the bottom of the frame. Jensen’s two-run single was the exclamation point as KC improved to 40-59 and snapped a five-game losing streak.
Here’s how this roller-coaster of a game unfolded:
Seth Lugo pitches quality start
With rumors swirling ahead of the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline, the Royals sent right-handed starter Seth Lugo to the mound against his former team on Friday evening.
Lugo, who entered Friday’s action with a 4.56 ERA in 19 starts, wasn’t particularly efficient. However, he did enough to produce a quality start at home.
In six innings, he allowed two runs (one earned) and four hits. He also registered three strikeouts while walking two batters.
The Royals’ defense helped him out. Right fielder Jac Caglianone made a leaping catch against the right-field wall in the first inning and Lane Thomas corralled a sinking line drive with a sliding catch in the sixth.
Both plays allowed Lugo to keep pitching. He was able to fill the strike zone, with 57 of his 90 pitches registering as strikes.
Lugo enjoyed some early run support, too. In the second inning, Thomas hit a 445-foot solo homer off Padres starter Michael King. The blast was the eight of the season for Thomas, a potential trade candidate.
KC’s lead didn’t last long. In the fifth, Lugo put runners on second and third, and that drew the Royals’ infield in. Padres catcher Luis Campusano countered with a line drive off the glove of Royals second baseman Michael Massey.
The baseball rolled into shallow center field and both runners scored.
In the sixth, the Royals scored a run when Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts threw wildly to second base. The gaffe enabled Thomas — who led off with a single — to score his second run.
Both bullpens unravel late
Both teams turned to their bullpens in the later innings.
In the eighth, Royals second baseman Michael Massey hit a go-ahead single, driving in first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino. Massey hit a 100.2 mph fastball left over the plate by Padres lefty Adrian Morejon.
It seemed that the Royals were on the verge of winning at that point, but Padres first baseman/noted Royals nemesis Ty France belted a two-out homer to tie it 3-3.
The Royals had a chance to win in the ninth, loading the bases against star closer Mason Miller. Isaac Collins got it started with a bloop single. Next, Jensen doubled into the right-field gap.
The Padres intentionally walked Bobby Witt Jr. and Miller wasn’t deterred. He struck out Josh Rojas, Thomas and Pasquantino in succession.
Royals right-handed reliever Lucas Ecreg earned the win. San Diego dropped to 48-49.
What’s next: The Royals hadn’t announced a starter for Saturday’s game as of late Friday night, but it’s known that right-hander Griffin Canning (1-7, 6.47 ERA) will take the ball for the Padres. First pitch is set for 3:10 p.m. Central Time at Kauffman Stadium.
This story was originally published July 17, 2026 at 10:35 PM.
