Pasquantino homers in 10th, but Kansas City Royals still lose on walk-off to Blue Jays

Kansas City Royals rookie slugger Vinnie Pasquantino blistered baseballs to the warning track multiple times and to different parts of the field in the Rogers Centre the previous night. But he came away with nothing to show for it.

With two outs and the automatic runner on in the 10th inning on Saturday, Pasquantino finally got rewarded for nearly knocking the stuffing out of the baseball. He launched a two-run home run down the right-field line and off the foul pole.

As he looked into the visiting dugout along the first-base line, and as his teammates were celebrating, Pasquantino flipped the bat away and made his way around the bases.

Paqsuantino gave the Royals a two-run lead in the extra frame, but relief pitcher Joel Payamps gave up three runs in the bottom half of the inning as the Royals lost to the Toronto Blue Jays, 6-5, in a walk-off in front of an announced 40,135 in the third game of a four-game series.

“That was all a team reaction,” Pasquantino said. “That’s all it was. It had nothing to do with myself. It was just being excited to put the team in a position to try to win a ballgame.

“Everybody knows that when you’re on the road and you get into these extra-inning games, you’ve really got to put the pressure on because closers are coming into games. Both teams are bringing in high-leverage guys. In this sport, in general, the home team has a slight advantage because you get to hit last and you know what you need to do to win the game.”

The Blue Jays have won back-to-back games and two of the first three games of the series.

The Royals (36-55) will try to earn a series split with a win on Sunday.

“We’re happy with the way that we played today,” Pasquantino said. “Obviously, it sucks that we lost. But those are the kind of games that good teams are in. So it’s exciting to be in those atmospheres. Obviously, we want to come out with a win, but we’re happy with what we put out on the field today.”

Royals manager Mike Matheny watched the end of the game from the clubhouse. He got ejected from the game for arguing with home-plate umpire John Bacon after an inning-ending batter’s interference call was made with Michael Massey batting and two runners on base in the top of the sixth inning.

Matheny came out of the dugout to argue the call, but he continued making his case after he returned to the dugout, and that’s when Bacon signaled for Matheny’s ejection. Matheny’s ejection marked the second time this season he’d been thrown out of a game, the 19th ejection in his career.

“That was right on the brink of being another really special win,” Matheny said. “(Pasquantino) has been taking such great at-bats and then to get rewarded right there. Unfortunately, we couldn’t put it away. Nicky (Lopez) did a good job getting (the runner) over. And we need somebody to come through right there. We talk about the big hit. They don’t get much bigger than that one.”

Royals rookie shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. had two hits (2 for 4) and an RBI, while Ryan O’Hearn (1 for 4) smacked an RBI triple, and Nate Eaton (0 for 2, sacrifice fly) also had an RBI.

Massey went 2 for 4, including the first hit of his major-league career.

Interference and ejection

The score was tied 3-3 in the sixth with the Royals’ Edward Olivares on second base and Eaton on first with two outs when Massey stepped into the batter’s box with two hits already under his belt.

Massey swung through a pitch on the outer half of the plate, and his momentum carried him over the plate towards the opposite batter’s box. At the same time, Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk attempted to pick off Olivares at second base. Kirk double-clutched on his throw.

“I felt the contact and then I kind of saw them point at me,” Massey said. “To be 100 percent honest with you, I’m not 100 percent sure of the rule. I swung, it was kind of a backdoor cutter out of the plate, fell over the plate, fell over the plate. They thought I interfered with him. You know, it is what it is.

“I appreciate Skip coming out and really having my back in that moment. It was really cool for me, being a rookie, my first start out here. To see a coach like that have your back is really special.”

Bacon called Massey out for interference, and that out ended the inning with a runner in scoring position in a tie game.

“I thought it was an unnecessary call,” Matheny said. “It looked like he was searching to make something happen. Unfortunately, that hurt us.”

Rough outing for Payamps

Josh Staumont made his first appearance since returning from the injured list and tossed a scoreless eighth inning.

Royals closer Scott Barlow, making his third appearance in four days and his fifth since Monday (he pitched in both games of the doubleheader), tossed a scoreless ninth on 11 pitches.

After Pasquantino’s homer gave the Royals a two-run advantage in the top of the 10th, Payamps did not record an out in the 10th against one of his former teams. (The Royals acquired Payamps from the Blue Jays in exchange for cash in July 2021.)

Payamps allowed four hits, the first an RBI double to the wall in center field by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Pinch-hitter Raimel Tapia singled to score Guerrero and tie the game.

Bo Bichette’s single put Tapia in scoring position, and Teoscar Hernandez hit a high-bouncing chopper that barely got past Witt at shortstop and into left field to drive in the winning run as the Blue Jays (49-43) celebrated.

Payamps said, with assistant strength and conditioning coach Luis Perez interpreting, that he felt good physically but some of his pitches just stayed in the middle of the plate in the 10th inning.

“It is a tough lineup, but you have to stick with your plan,” Payamps said of the Blue Jays. “You go out and you try to execute where their weaknesses are.”

Lynch left wanting more

Left-hander Daniel Lynch made his first start since he came out of his outing against Detroit after four innings due to a cut on his finger that was hindering his command.

Lynch, who said he had no issues with either the cut nor the blister that sidelined him previously, allowed three runs on six hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings, and he also struck out five. He threw 76 pitches.

“I just think I’ve got to be better,” Lynch said. “I felt like I came out and had really good stuff. To feel the way I did and have the results is frustrating. I think I’ve got to put our bullpen in a better spot and put our team in a better chance to win. I mean, we got three runs really early, and I was feeling really good. It’s frustrating to no have the result.”