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Royals win 4-3 in thrilling fashion on walk-off wild pitch

Terrance Gore is an amazing weapon.

By Max Rieper
John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

The Royals have their first sweep of the season and their first walk-off victory with a thrilling 4-3 victory over the Twins on Sunday. Terrance Gore scored the game winning run on a pitch that bounced in the dirt away from catcher J.R. Murphy. When Murphy tried to toss the ball to pitcher Trevor May at home, Gore had already crossed the plate with the game-winning score.

The run in the tenth capped off a terrific comeback by the Royals, who trailed 3-1 heading into the ninth. Three-time All-Star closer Glen Perkins came in to close the game out for the Twins, but Perkins continued the struggles that plagued him in the second half of last season. Mike Moustakas drilled a ball to deep left only to have it caught by Eddie Rosario. Lorenzo Cain laced a single to right, setting up Eric Hosmer for more late inning heroics. Hosmer laced a line drive into left field that skipped by a diving Eddie Rosario, allowing Cain to score and leaving Hosmer at third with a triple. Hosmer would score on a fly ball to the warning track by Kendrys Morales that would have been even more trouble had defensive replacement Max Kepler not made a terrific catch.

In the tenth, Christian Colon led off with a walk. Pinch-runner extraordinaire Terrance Gore entered the game, and advanced all the way to third on an errant pickoff attempt by Twins pitcher Trevor May. The rally seemed nearly thwarted however, when Paulo Orlando's pop-fly was too shallow to score the runner, and Alcides Escobar struck out. Mike Moustakas walked, setting up a confrontation with Lorenzo Cain. On a 2-2 pitch, May bounced a slider in the dirt, allowing Gore to score from third.

Edinson Volquez, who tossed six innings of shutout baseball on Opening Night last Sunday against the Mets, continued his scoreless streak into this game by tossing zeroes through the fifth. Volquez looked strong, not walking a single hitter, and striking out ten in six innings of work. In the sixth, a singles train burned Eddie for two runs for the Twins, with RBI coming from Miguel Sano and Eduardo Nunez.

Mike Moustakas would cut the lead in the sixth with his second home run of the year to make the game 2-1. But Brian Dozier would make up for that run with a solo home run off Luke Hochevar to make it 3-1. Dillon Gee ran into some trouble in the ninth, misplaying a bunt by Byron Buxton that led to him loading the bases. But a Byung-Ho Park strikeout ended the threat, setting up the dramatic rally.

Ned Yost predicted that Gore's speed could help win a game, and he did just that today. The Royals are now 4-1, and with the Tigers game postponed today, Kansas City is in sole possession of first place. It seems like old times.

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