Guardians score five in ninth to beat Royals 12-9

Cleveland turned a tie game into a five-run ninth inning Friday and beat Kansas City 12-9. The official MLB game feed records a 7-7 score after eight innings, followed by three consecutive bases-loaded walks and Angel Martínez's two-run double. MLB's same-game video shows the decisive ninth-inning sequence.

The Guardians had led 7-5 after five innings. David Fry's two-run homer put them back in front in the fifth, and Brayan Rocchio's groundout scored Travis Bazzana later in the inning. Kansas City erased that lead in the eighth when Carter Jensen hit his second home run of the game, a two-run shot that brought Kyle Isbel home. Jensen drove in five runs overall, including a two-run homer in the second and a sacrifice fly in the fourth.

Cleveland's ninth did not depend on one big swing. Patrick Bailey scored on a walk to José Ramírez. Rocchio came home when Chase DeLauter drew another bases-loaded walk, and Steven Kwan scored when Petey Halpin walked. Martínez then doubled to left, driving in Ramírez and DeLauter. Halpin was thrown out at home on the play, but Cleveland had built a 12-7 lead. Martínez finished with two hits and four RBIs, matching his first-inning two-run single with the late double.

The Royals still made the last half-inning matter. Salvador Perez hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth, bringing Kansas City within three. Michael Massey grounded out for the final out. Hunter Gaddis earned the win for Cleveland and Nate Pearson took the loss, according to MLB's final decisions.

The game had swung repeatedly before the ninth. Kansas City went ahead 5-4 in the fourth on Jac Caglianone's RBI single after Jensen's sacrifice fly had tied it. Fry's fifth-inning homer restored the Guardians' advantage, only for Jensen to draw the Royals level again. Cleveland's late patience at the plate and Martínez's extra-base hit finally settled a game in which the clubs combined for 21 runs.