SEATTLE -- A rough night for the Royals’ offense flipped in a matter of moments Saturday as Kansas City turned a potential dud into a series win with a 3-2, 10-inning victory over the Mariners at T-Mobile Park.
Michael Massey gave the Royals the spark they needed in the top of the 10th as the automatic runner, taking an extended secondary lead off second base on Cooper Criswell’s 2-1 offering and getting to third base when catcher Mitch Garver attempted to back-pick him at second.
Five pitches later, Maikel Garcia -- who drove the Royals’ first run of the night in with a double in the third -- lifted a ball just deep enough to center field to score Massey on a sacrifice fly and give Kansas City its first lead of the game.
That was enough for Lucas Erceg, who slammed the door in the bottom of the 10th for his ninth save of the season.
Trailing by a run entering the top of the ninth, the Royals got to work. Salvador Perez -- who struck out in each of his first three at-bats -- started the rally, singling the other way on the second pitch he saw from Andrés Muñoz, and pinch-runner Lane Thomas had barely gotten to first base before Muñoz balked him to second.
One batter later, Jac Caglianone lasered an RBI single to center -- and got all the way to third base when Julio Rodríguez dove at it and missed.
With the potential tying run on second base in the bottom of the 10th, Garcia made a ranging play deep in the third-base hole, firing a hopper to first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino, who scooped it for a solid play to seal the victory.