Walk-off slam! Royals 8, Twins 4

The Royals walked off on Minnesota, 8-4.

I know I published the “Royals lose 4-3” story. I know. My MLB app said that there were three outs in the bottom of the ninth. It lied. It definitely lied.

They took a quick lead on a first-inning RBI single by Sal Perez and a second-inning sacrifice fly by Whit Merrifield. But Jorge Lopez, who flirted with a perfect game last weekend against this same Minnesota team, couldn’t hold it.

Lopez was in and out of trouble all evening, working around five hits in the first four innings but never being punished for it. It all hit the fan in the fifth inning, though. Single, RBI double (2-1), out, RBI single (2-2), RBI single (3-2), and just like that, Lopez was knocked out.

The Twins added a run in the seventh, but the Royals got it back in the home half on Adalberto Mondesi’s 8th home run of the year.

Fun with numbers:

Adalberto Mondesi, this year (60 games): 8 home runs

Alcides Escobar, career high (162 games): 7 home runs

Lopez couldn’t locate anything, as he gave up nine baserunners and got just 13 men out. His ERA ballooned to 4.64.

Then the bottom of the ninth happened. Rosell Herrera doubled. Whit Merrifield singled him home. Adalberto Mondesi singled. Alex Gordon was walked.

Then Salvador Perez stepped up. Full count. Grand slam. 8-4. Ballgame.

That’s the sixth walk-off grand slam in Royals history. And it had the single best reaction of any of them.

Jason Hammel got the win, because he pitched a mop-up ninth inning before all of the fireworks happened. He is 3-13.

Kansas City is 51-96. They’ll try to win the series tomorrow behind the arm of Ian Kennedy.