KANSAS CITY -- Samuel Basallo was determined that he wasn’t going to let the Orioles lose on Monday at Kauffman Stadium.
After producing a two-out, two-strike RBI single that tied the game in the ninth, Basallo came through again with a go-ahead RBI single in the 12th that served as the springboard for Baltimore’s 7-5 victory over the Royals.
The Orioles finally opened a big lead later in the 12th when Leody Tavares hit a grand slam off Royals reliever Alex Lange. Taveras’ slam is the second-latest grand slam in Orioles/Browns franchise history, behind only Pedro Alvarez's grand slam in the 14th inning on April 6, 2018.
“I wasn’t trying to do too much or play the hero,” Basallo said through interpreter Brandon Quinones. “Our mentality is not to give up until the last out is made. We are going to go out there and fight. We aren’t going to give in.”
The left-handed-hitting Basallo’s clutch singles in the ninth and 12th both went to the opposite field. He also had two walks and handled a Baltimore pitching staff that was constantly able to work out of trouble.
“He’s dangerous in the box, no matter what,” Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said of Basallo. “For him to take those hits the other way was huge. I told him after the game -- ‘That’s the standard you’ve set.’”
With the Orioles down to their last strike in the ninth, they were a strike away from their sixth loss in seven games.
But Basallo provided a major boost against Royals closer Lucas Erceg.
“I’m just happy I was able to put the ball in play and make good things happen,” Basallo said.
The go-ahead hit in the 12th came just before Taveras hit his grand slam that seemingly ended all the suspense. But that blow was needed, as it turned out. The Royals came back with three runs in the bottom of the 12th before ultimately falling short.
Royals starter Seth Lugo limited the Orioles to just one hit through seven innings.
Meanwhile, Orioles starter Kyle Bradish and the relievers that followed him kept Baltimore in the game by maneuvering around heavy traffic all night long.
Bradish bent but didn’t break and the Orioles can only hope that resiliency will ultimately help the Baltimore right-hander moving forward as Bradish strives to regain the dominance he showed when he finished fourth in the 2023 AL Cy Young Award voting. The fact that Bradish kept his team close despite allowing 10 hits and three walks over 5 1/3 innings was a testament to his grit.
The only run off Bradish came on Jac Caglianone’s 437-foot homer to straightaway center in the second. Bradish worked around a few bases-loaded jams, including the third inning when Kansas City loaded the bases with nobody out.
But Rico Garcia, Grant Wolfram, Yennier Cano and Ryan Helsley all pitched scoreless frames to get it to extras. The Royals scored four total runs in the extra frames, but the O's still kept the Royals to a 5-for-21 mark with runners in scoring position -- including 15 left on base.
While Bradish and the bullpen kept Baltimore in position, the offense couldn’t break through until the ninth. Gunnar Henderson was picked off for the second time in the game in the ninth, but after a pair of walks, Basallo came through with the game-tying knock.
Three innings later, Basallo put the O's (11-12) back on top for good in one of the wildest games of the season.
“The hitters battled all night,” Bradish said. “Lugo was on his game. But we were able to hang around and get to the bullpen. We’re a resilient team. Some things haven’t gone our way. But today was a testament to how talented we are.”