Each night in the 2016 baseball season, we'll run down the top news, facts and highlights from action around Major League Baseball.
When Paulo Orlando struck out for the first out in the ninth inning against the White Sox on Saturday, it appeared the Royals would go quietly into the night.
MORE: Five MLB players who could be traded before July
What ensued left fans of both teams stunned.
Royals third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert got things started in the bottom of the ninth with a one-out single. Brett Eibner added a double, and six runs later, Eibner was back up in the same inning to do the unthinkable: lead Kansas City to an improbable 8-7 comeback in the final inning.
Eibner didn't disappoint. He slapped a single into shallow right, scoring Drew Butera to win the game. The Royals had six hits and four walks in the seven-run inning.
The epic comeback means, since 2010, teams are now 5-2,810 when trailing by six runs entering the bottom of the ninth inning.
Eric Hosmer and Lorenzo Cain, the two biggest names left on this roster after all the Royals' injuries — including catcher Salvador Perez leaving with a quad contusion Saturday — led the way with four hits, two runs scored, three RBIs and a stolen base combined.
Elsewhere, Rangers ace Yu Darvish gave up just one run on three hits with seven strikeouts in his first start since undergoing Tommy John surgery last spring. And in New York, Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley jacked two home runs — one a grand slam — after Mets starter Noah Syndergaard was tossed in the third inning for throwing a pitch behind him.
Player of the day
Kyle Hendricks may be the Cubs' fifth starter, but he pitched like an ace while beating the Phillies 4-1 on Saturday. Hendricks gave up just one run on five hits in a complete game. He also struck out seven batters and improved to 3-4 with a 2.93 ERA on the season.
Highlight
Mets ace Noah Syndergaard got tossed for this wild pitch, but Terry Collins' reaction was the best part.
Retaliation? Noah Syndergaard threw behind Chase Utley & was ejected.
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 29, 2016
Terry Collins was livid & got tossed too.https://t.co/LqL4Qax0YS
Three things to know
— With his home run in the fourth inning, Yankees outfielder Carlos Beltran became just the fourth player born in Puerto Rico to reach 2,500 career hits (Roberto Clemente, Ivan Rodríguez, Roberto Alomar).
— Red Sox slugger David Ortiz hit his 516th career home run. He is five behind Willie McCovey, Frank Thomas and Ted Williams for 19th all time. Also in Boston, Xander Bogaerts extended his hitting streak to 21 games, the longest active streak in MLB. He has five home runs during the stretch.
— After belting two home runs Saturday, Chase Utley has 38 long balls against the Mets, which is his most against any opponent. It's eight more than the next closest (Marlins, 30).
What's next
Red Sox (29-20) at Blue Jays (26-25), 1:07 p.m. ET — Toronto is riding a four-game winning streak, but David Price (7-1, 5.34 ERA) is on the mound for Boston facing off against R.A. Dickey (2-6, 4.60 ERA). The Red Sox, who have lost three straight, need to get back on track.
Cardinals (26-24) at Nationals (29-21), 1:35 p.m. ET — Stephen Strasburg (8-0, 2.79) is finally living up to his lofty billing after a couple of injury-plagued down years. He will try to lead Washington past a struggling Michael Wacha (2-5, 5.04 ERA).