WALK OFF GRAND SLAM! Paulo Orlando blast defeats Rays 9-5

PAULO ORLANDO!

PAULO ORLANDO!

PAULO ORLANDO!

Paulo Orlando drilled a Brad Boxberger pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth to win Game One of the doubleheader for the Royals 9-5.

The Royals were an example of how not to be clutch early in the game. They first three hitters singled in the bottom of the first to load the bases, but the Royals were unable to get any of them home, thanks in part to an inning-ending double play by Alex Rios. The Rays quickly showed how easy it is to score when James Loney deposited a pitch over the right field wall for a solo home run.

The Royals loaded the bases again in the second against a struggling Matt Moore and were able to plate their first run when Alex Gordon was plunked perilously close to his surgically-repaired wrist. Kendrys MoRBI-les blooped a single to right field to drive home two to give the Royals a 3-1 lead after two innings.

Evan Longoria homered in the fourth to cut the lead to one, but the Rays would pile on two more runs before the inning was over to take a 4-3 lead. Alex Gordon took it upon himself to show his wrist was fine by drilling a pitch off Matt Moore for his eleventh home run of the season to tie the game.

In the seventh, Alex Gordon led off against reliever Xavier Cedeno with a single, followed by a Kendrys Morales walk. Eric Hosmer, the cleanup hitter and a guy we once talked about as a a legitimate All-Star candidate, bunted with two runners on, and bunted right into a force out at third. After a predictable Alex Rios failure at the plate, Omar Infante - who is hitting .311/.327/.377 over his last 21 games - picked everyone up with an RBI single to give the Royals a 5-4 lead.

Wade Davis dominated the eighth, but Greg Holland gave up a triple to start the ninth. It looked like Kevin Kiermaier may have overslid third base for an out, but after a lengthy review, the triple was allowed to stand. A wild pitch would score the game-tying run, setting up Orlando's dramatics.

Boxberger struggled with his command, giving up singles to Eric Hosmer and Alex Rios before walking Omar Infante to load the bases.

SEE YA https://t.co/8v4Plx24kM

— Chase Snyder (@chiefssnyder19) July 7, 2015

Great win. See you later tonight.