Bobby Witt Jr. Speaks on Walk-Off Single to Cap Royals Rally

Kansas City managed just three hits and no runs through the first six innings against Oakland's pitching staff, and the game looked well in hand for the visitors after they pushed across two more runs in the top of the sixth.

Jeff McNeil singled home Henry Bolte, and then a bases-loaded walk to Max Muncy made it 3-0.

Daniel Lynch IV had turned in a solid four-inning start for the Royals, allowing just one run on two hits, but Mason Black gave up the two sixth-inning runs that put the team in a deeper hole.

Jac Caglianone started the comeback in the seventh by lining a double to left, and Vinnie Pasquantino followed with an RBI double to right that cut the deficit to 3-1.

The Royals left the tying run on base that inning and went into the ninth still down two runs with their bullpen holding things together behind Alex Lange, who worked a clean eighth.

What happened next was the type of sequence that sticks with a clubhouse. Salvador Perez reached on catcher interference by Jonah Heim, and Michael Massey followed with a single to center.

After pinch-runner John Rave replaced Perez and Carter Jensen drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases, Tyler Tolbert stepped in as a pinch-hitter and grounded a two-run single to left field that tied the game at three.

Athletics manager Mark Kotsay was ejected during the at-bat, and the atmosphere at Kauffman had already turned by the time Isaac Collins lined out for the second out.

Bobby Witt Jr. then singled to left on the first pitch from Elvis Alvarado to bring Jensen home with the winning run and cap a three-run ninth.

"It's just one of those games where you never know when that hit's going to happen," Witt said afterward. "You're just waiting and waiting and waiting, and then it happens. So that's just baseball. We got the opportunities. We got them at the end of the game and came through."

The walk-off gave Kansas City its third straight win, and while a 53-74 record does not leave much to play for in the American League Central standings, games like this one still matter for a team trying to develop young talent and figure out which pieces belong going forward.

Carlos Duran, who pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his first career win, is another young arm getting real experience in high-pressure spots.

The Royals will try for the series win on Wednesday with the Athletics still in town before welcoming Detroit for a weekend set starting Friday.

Witt finished 1-for-3 with a walk and continues to be the player Kansas City can lean on every night, no matter where the club sits in the American League Central.