Royals Erase Five-Run Hole, Bury Mets 16-12 in Seven-Inning Blitz
KC def. NYM · July 7, 2026 · Final: Royals 16, Mets 12
Visiting Kansas City trailed 9-4 after Mets outfielder Juan Soto's three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth — a hole that left the Royals with roughly a 6% chance of winning. What they did over the next three innings rewrote the afternoon entirely.
The comeback began in the top of the fifth. Royals left fielder Isaac Collins doubled to score Jac Caglianone, cutting it to 9-5. Two batters later, second baseman Michael Massey lined a sharp double to right, scoring both Nick Loftin and Collins to make it 9-7. Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. then grounded into a force out but drove in Massey to pull Kansas City within one. DH Salvador Perez followed with a single to center, scoring Tyler Tolbert and tying the game at 9.
Kansas City couldn't take the lead there, but it arrived in the top of the seventh — and it arrived in a rush.
Perez opened the inning with a double to center, scoring Lane Thomas to put the Royals ahead 10-9. Third baseman Nick Loftin then drove a fly ball to left center for a two-run home run, his fourth of the season, extending the lead to 12-9. A walk to Carter Jensen forced in Isaac Collins to make it 13-9, and Witt Jr.'s groundout plated Michael Massey for 14-9. Then Thomas, the Royals' center fielder, lined his second double of the game into left field, scoring Tyler Tolbert and Witt Jr. to push the lead to 16-9.
New York trimmed the margin in the seventh and eighth, but Kansas City's cushion held. Final score: Kansas City Royals 16, New York Mets 12.
The Comeback
- Largest deficit
- 5 runs — in the bottom of the 4th
- Win-probability nadir
- 5.8% (down 5 in the bottom of the 4th)
- Lead flipped for good
- top of the 7th
- Lead changes
- 1
- Final
- KC 16, NYM 12 — won by 4
Scoring Summary
| Inn. | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| B1 | Carson Benge singles on a ground ball to pitcher Seth Lugo. A.J. Ewing scores. Bo Bichette scores. Carson Benge scores. Throwing error by pitcher Seth Lugo. Throwing error by first baseman Jac Caglianone. Throwing error by third baseman Nick Loftin. | 0-3 |
| T2 | Tyler Tolbert homers (2) on a line drive to left field. Michael Massey scores. | 2-3 |
| B2 | A.J. Ewing homers (6) on a fly ball to right field. Luis Torrens scores. | 2-5 |
| T4 | Lane Thomas doubles (12) on a sharp line drive to left fielder Juan Soto. Michael Massey scores. Tyler Tolbert scores. Bobby Witt Jr. to 3rd. | 4-5 |
| B4 | A.J. Ewing singles on a ground ball to center fielder Lane Thomas. Brett Baty scores. Luis Torrens to 3rd. | 4-6 |
| B4 | Juan Soto homers (20) on a fly ball to center field. Luis Torrens scores. A.J. Ewing scores. | 4-9 |
| T5 | Isaac Collins doubles (16) on a fly ball to left fielder Juan Soto. Jac Caglianone scores. Nick Loftin to 3rd. | 5-9 |
| T5 | Michael Massey doubles (15) on a sharp line drive to right fielder Carson Benge. Nick Loftin scores. Isaac Collins scores. | 7-9 |
| T5 | Bobby Witt Jr. grounds into a force out, shortstop Francisco Lindor to second baseman Brett Baty. Michael Massey scores. Tyler Tolbert to 3rd. Carter Jensen out at 2nd. Bobby Witt Jr. to 1st. | 8-9 |
| T5 | Salvador Perez singles on a fly ball to center fielder A.J. Ewing. Tyler Tolbert scores. Lane Thomas to 3rd. | 9-9 |
| T7 | Salvador Perez doubles (13) on a fly ball to center fielder A.J. Ewing. Lane Thomas scores. | 10-9 |
| T7 | Nick Loftin homers (4) on a fly ball to left center field. Salvador Perez scores. | 12-9 |
| T7 | Carter Jensen walks. Isaac Collins scores. Michael Massey to 3rd. Tyler Tolbert to 2nd. | 13-9 |
| T7 | Bobby Witt Jr. grounds into a force out, shortstop Francisco Lindor to second baseman Brett Baty. Michael Massey scores. Tyler Tolbert to 3rd. Carter Jensen out at 2nd. Bobby Witt Jr. to 1st. | 14-9 |
| T7 | Lane Thomas doubles (13) on a sharp line drive to left fielder Juan Soto. Tyler Tolbert scores. Bobby Witt Jr. scores. | 16-9 |
| B7 | Jorge Polanco doubles (4) on a sharp line drive to right fielder Tyler Tolbert. Carson Benge scores. | 16-10 |
| B7 | Brett Baty out on a sacrifice fly to center fielder Lane Thomas. Jorge Polanco scores. | 16-11 |
| B8 | Carson Benge singles on a line drive to right fielder Tyler Tolbert. A.J. Ewing scores. Francisco Lindor to 3rd. | 16-12 |
Box score
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Line score
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KC | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 19 | 3 |
| NYM | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 13 | 0 |
KCWinning team
Batting
| Batter | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carter JensenC | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | .247 |
| Bobby Witt Jr.SS | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .290 |
| Lane ThomasCF | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | .232 |
| Salvador PerezDH | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | .211 |
| Jac Caglianone1B | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .258 |
| Nick Loftin3B | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .247 |
| Isaac CollinsLF | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | .239 |
| Michael Massey2B | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | .262 |
| Tyler TolbertRF | 6 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .396 |
Pitching
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | NP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seth Lugo | 4.1 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 94 |
| Daniel Lynch IV | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| John Schreiber | 0.2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 24 |
| Beck Way | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Matt Strahm | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 24 |
| Lucas Erceg | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
NYMLosing team
Batting
| Batter | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.J. EwingCF | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | .276 |
| Juan SotoLF | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | .299 |
| Bo Bichette3B | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .259 |
| Francisco LindorSS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .210 |
| Carson BengeRF | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | .262 |
| Jorge PolancoDH | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .183 |
| Jared Young1B | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .231 |
| Brett Baty2B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .218 |
| Luis TorrensC | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .218 |
Pitching
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | NP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cionel Pérez | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 |
| Kodai Senga | 3.0 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 61 |
| Austin Warren | 0.0 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 26 |
| Huascar Brazobán | 2.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 37 |
| Matt Seelinger | 2.0 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 52 |
| A.J. Minter | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13 |