Carter Jensen’s 2-run single caps 4-run 10th inning as Royals rally for 7-6 win over Padres

Jul 17, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher Carter Jensen (22) celebrates with outfielder Kyle Isbel (28) after hitting the game-winning RBI single against the San Diego Padres in the tenth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images

Peter Aiken-Imagn Images

class="RichTextArticleBody RichTextBody">KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Carter Jensen hit a two-run single to cap a four-run rally in the 10th inning that gave the Kansas City Royals a 7-6 victory over the San Diego Padres on Friday night.

>Lane Thomas homered early for the last-place Royals, who stopped a five-game losing streak. Jensen and Michael Massey each had three of Kansas City’s 13 hits.

>Ty France launched a solo homer for the Padres with two outs in the ninth, tying the score at 3.

>The Royals had an excellent opportunity to win in the bottom half, when Jensen’s double helped them load the bases with nobody out against Mason Miller. But the All-Star closer struck out the next three batters, sending the game to extra innings.

>San Diego took a 6-3 lead in the top of the 10th on Miguel Andujar’s RBI double, Fernando Tatis Jr.'s run-scoring single and Xander Bogaerts’ sacrifice fly.

>It was the third double of the night for Andujar. Tatis also finished with three hits.

>Lucas Erceg (4-3) retired Manny Machado with Tatis on third to end the inning, and the Royals responded with four hits off Kyle Hart (0-2) in the bottom of the 10th.

>Salvador Perez’s leadoff single sent automatic runner Vinnie Pasquantino from second to third. Pasquantino scored on Massey’s infield single, and Nick Loftin’s bunt single loaded the bases with nobody out.

>A run-scoring groundout by Isaac Collins cut it to 6-5 and left runners at second and third. Jensen then bounced a single into left field for his first career game-ending hit, giving the Royals their first walk-off win since May 8.

>Leading off the second, Thomas opened the scoring with a 445-foot drive into the left-field fountains. It was the first home run allowed by Padres starter Michael King since June 10.

>An error by Massey at second base helped the Padres score twice for a 2-1 lead in the fifth. Massey’s first error since Sept. 18, 2025, ended his streak of 81 games without one.

>The Royals tied it in the sixth on Bogaerts’ throwing error from shortstop and regained the lead in the eighth on Massey’s two-out single.

>Kansas City turned three double plays to help starter Seth Lugo escape jams. In six innings, Lugo permitted two runs — one earned — and four hits.

>King yielded one run and four hits in five innings.

Up nextPadres RHP Griffin Canning (1-7, 6.47 ERA) pitches Saturday. Kansas City had not announced a scheduled starter.