KANSAS CITY -- Josh Rojas had one more sprint in him. He was exhausted.
The Royals third baseman had led off the bottom of the ninth with an opposite-field single, going hard out of the box in hopes of a double but putting on the brakes when Giants left fielder Heliot Ramos fielded the ball quickly. Then, Rojas hustled to second base on Tyler Tolbert’s fielder’s choice bunt. Moments after that, Rojas sprinted to third on Carter Jensen’s flyout. This all happened in a span of five pitches.
When Nick Loftin stepped to the plate, Rojas knew what his job was with the bunt sign on: He had to score.
“First safety squeeze goes foul, and at that point, I’m like, ‘OK, I just got to get my breath here for one more run at this thing,’” Rojas said. “He got it down, and that was the last gas I had right there. I don’t know what would have happened after that one.”
Loftin’s safety squeeze and Rojas’ mad dash gave the Royals a 4-3 walk-off win over the Giants on Monday night at Kauffman Stadium, salvaging an inning and game that could have been one of their worst after closer Alex Lange allowed a two-run game-tying homer with two outs to Willy Adames in the top of the ninth.
Instead, the resilient Royals were celebrating in the bottom of the frame … all the way out in center field because Loftin just kept running after his fourth career walk-off RBI.
Meeting his teammates out there was actually Rojas’ final mad dash.
“It didn’t help that Loftin decided to run out to center field on the walk-off,” Rojas said. “That was even more running there. I’m good now, but that bottom of the ninth, I was toast.”
Monday marked the Royals’ third win in four games since the All-Star break, and their second walk-off win after Friday’s wild one against the Padres. Playing on the hottest day in a stretch of oppressive Midwest summer heat, starter Michael Wacha made his first start since the All-Star Game and delivered six strong innings of one-run ball. With his 13th quality start over his 20 overall outings this season, Wacha departed with the lead after Salvador Perez’s two-run homer -- the 316th of his career, bringing him just one shy of George Brett’s club record (317) -- and Isaac Collins’ RBI single in the fourth.
Relievers Steven Cruz and Daniel Lynch IV held onto that lead in the seventh and eighth innings, and Rojas’ defense was as important as his legs later on when he made a diving stop on Casey Schmitt’s would-be RBI double, instead throwing him out at first to get Lynch IV out of the eighth inning unscathed.
The way the Royals were playing Monday night made Adames’ home run in the ninth even more of a back-breaker. But these Royals, despite their struggles this season, don’t often roll over when there’s adversity, even if it doesn’t always work out. With a little luck on their side, it worked out in the opener.
After Tolbert bunted and reached first base on the Giants’ defensive gaffe in the ninth inning and Rojas moved up to third on Jensen’s flyout, the Royals wanted Loftin to try for a safety squeeze. That’s not the easiest task, but the Royals thought it was their best chance to get a run in with one out and Loftin facing right-hander Caleb Killian, who has a lot of ride on his fastball. Giants first baseman Bryce Eldridge was holding Tolbert at first base, too.
Loftin had not started Monday’s game, instead replacing Bobby Witt Jr. (back tightness) at shortstop in the fifth inning. But he singled in the seventh inning and he’s been asked to bunt more frequently recently, getting more comfortable with it.
“That’s our identity,” Loftin said. “We’ve worked on bunting for -- how long have I been a Royal? Since 2020? Ever since I stepped foot in this organization, we’ve been working on bunting.”
Loftin fouled off the first attempt, so the Giants brought Eldridge off the bag and in toward the plate. Loftin knew he needed to get on top of the fastball and still push it toward first to make Eldridge make a play.
“It’s still a really tough play, charging and the first baseman trying to flip it with the glove,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “Take our chances there. He stuck his nose in there and got it done.”