France's 10th-inning single lifts Mariners over Royals 10-8 after blown 7-run lead

Updated Aug. 16, 2023 12:35 a.m. ET

Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ty France lined a two-run single to center in the 10th inning and the Seattle Mariners rebounded from a blown-seven run lead to beat the Kansas City Royals 10-8 on Tuesday night.

Eugenio Suárez, France, Teoscar Hernández and Josh Rojas homered in a seven-run fourth inning off Jordan Lyles, the Mariners' first four-homer inning since May 2, 2002 at the Chicago White Sox. Suárez and France combined for Seattle's sixth back-to-back homers this year as the Mariners took a 7-0 lead.

Hernández tied his career high with five hits and had three RBIs.

“I definitely felt good today,” Hernández said. “My swing and my timing is fine right now. For me, the most important thing is I'm making a lot of contact right now.”

France had four hits and three RBIs. Kansas City outhit the Mariners 15-14, and the Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. sparked the comeback in a five-run fifth with his second grand slam in an 18-day span.

“We felt like we were in control of the ballgame, but we opened the door for them,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “They got some big hits. We couldn't put them away.”

Kansas City (39-82) clinched its seventh straight losing season since winning the 2015 World Series. The Royals have had just five winning seasons in the last 30 years.

Seattle, which had lost three straight games in which it led or was tied in the ninth, was ahead 8-5 after eight innings.

Nelson Velázquez grounded to Rojas leading off and reached when the second baseman threw wide of first for an error. That led to three unearned runs against Andrés Muñoz (3-5), who in a 42-pitch outing blew a save for the second time in eight chances. Michael Massey hit a two-run single and Salvador Perez had an RBI single.

"These guys, they don't quit," Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. “Those are good arms they battled back against. The ninth inning was exciting.”

France’s single off Tucker Davidson (1-2) lifted his average at Kauffman Stadium to .532 (17 for 32).

“I was looking for a slider,” France said. “I had done my homework on how he attacked guys in that inning. I figured I’d get one and I didn’t want to miss it.”

Tayler Saucedo got three straight outs for his first major league save.

Lyles allowed seven runs — six earned — and nine hits in five innings, while Seattle's Emerson Hancock gave up five runs and nine hits in five innings in his second career start.

Maikel Garcia extended his Royals' rookie-record hitting streak to 17 games with a bloop single leading off the first.

UP NEXT

Seattle RHP Luis Castillo (8-7, 3.14 ERA) starts Wednesday night.

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