Seven in the eighth give the Royals nine to surge past A's

KANSAS CITY – The 108.9 mph single Vinnie Pasquantino hit off the top of the right-field fence was hit so hard that it literally made a dent in the padding, a physical reminder of the mark the Royals’ first baseman left on Wednesday’s game.

Inches shy of his second homer of the night, the single still represented one of the three hits Pasquantino logged in the Royals’ 9-7 win over the A’s at Kauffman Stadium, their second consecutive late-game comeback win following Tuesday’s walk-off victory. The Royals have now won four straight dating back to Sunday -- one vs. the Angels and three against the A’s -- ahead of Thursday’s series finale.

Pasquantino walked, homered and knocked two singles in five plate appearances Wednesday, and that single in the eighth inning helped spark the seven-run frame that sealed the Royals’ comeback. Maikel Garcia led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a triple that got past right fielder Lawrence Butler. When Pasquantino scorched a cutter from A’s reliever Hayden Juenger, Butler played it better, fielding off the top of the fence to hold Pasquantino to an RBI single that cut the Royals’ deficit to two.

But the rally was on at that point.

Just like they did Tuesday, the Royals kept the line moving. Salvador Perez walked, prompting the A’s to bring in lefty Drew Rom. Carter Jensen flied out to center but still moved Pasquantino up to third base, and Tyler Tolbert followed with a walk. Kyle Isbel singled home a run, Isaac Collins hit a sacrifice fly, Bobby Witt Jr. was intentionally walked to load the bases, and John Rave -- who had pinch-hit for Jac Caglianone (right ankle soreness) back in the fifth inning -- cleared those bases with a three-run double.

The comeback backed up starter Seth Lugo, who was tagged for five runs in six innings, after the Royals received scoreless innings from Alex Lange and Craig Kimbrel in the seventh and eighth, respectively, to keep the game close.