Cain is able to give the Kansas City Royals a walk-off

Lorenzo Cain walked it off for the Kansas City Royals, ending a 12-game losing streak to the Texas Rangers.

For the longest time, Sunday’s contest between the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers was a battle of wills.

Specifically, a battle of “will anyone win this game?”

God I’m sorry, that’s terrible. Let me try again.

Sunday’s game between the Kansas City Royals and Rangers was largely comprised of long periods of boring baseball between sporadically interesting bursts of competence.

Better? Not really? Sorry, I’m on the struggle bus trying desperately to scrabble together anything positive or interesting to say about this game beyond, “Hahaha, what was that?”

The Royals salvaged a win in 4-3, walk-off error single fashion, bookending the day with wild run-scoring plays involving Lorenzo Cain.

The game started in single-single-wild pitch fashion, scoring Whit Merrifield with Cain at the dish.

Mike Moustakas answered a third-inning Drew Robinson homer with a run-scoring double, driving in Eric Hosmer. Shin-Soo Choo (remember that name) gunned Moose out at third.

It would be Choo’s second-most memorable play of the day.

Another homer—this one a Mike Napoli job in the seventh—ended another quality start for Ian Kennedy, who went 6.2 innings, scattering five hits and striking out six and surrendering only long balls to Robinson and Napoli.

That would briefly tie the game again before Merrifield—having himself a season, all things considered—doubled home Drew Butera on a ball misplayed by Nomar Mazara. Could Mazara have gotten the not exactly fleet-of-foot Butera with a clean play? It’s unclear, and I would say unlikely. But him kicking the ball certainly helped matters.

Mazara redeemed himself thanks to Joakim Soria’s sixth blown save, singling up the middle to score Elvis Andrus in the eighth. Andrus’ day was less than stellar, as he killed potential run-scoring chances in the third and sixth innings thanks to double-play balls.

The Kansas City Royals went down quietly in the eighth against Alex Claudioi but rallied in the ninth against Jason Grilli. Alcides Escobar led things off with a single for his third hit of the contest, then moved to second after Alex Gordon drew a walk.

Pinch-hitting for Butera, Salvador Perez hit a two-hopper to third where Robinson made a diving almost-stop, fumbling the ball and ultimately walking it over to third for the force rather than (potentially) trying to induce a twin-killing against the slow-footed Perez.

Merrifield was hit by a pitch because that’s what a gamer does, then Jorge Bonifacio struck out swinging, making it two-down, two aboard for Cain. Cain, who had battled the sun on a few chances Sunday, lifted one high into right that Choo lost in the sunlight, glancing off his glove and allowing Gordon to trot in with the winning run.

Next: Missing Rosenthal and Stark

The Royals begin a four-gamer against Detroit, Monday night.