Nick Loftin hits 2-run homer in 7th, walk-off single in 9th as Royals beat Pirates 4-3

By: David Smale, The Associated Press Posted: 9:19 PM CDT Tuesday, Jul. 8, 2025

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nick Loftin hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh inning, then won it in the ninth with a one-out RBI single as the Kansas City Royals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 on Tuesday night.

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Rookie Jac Caglianone homered for the Royals, a 421-foot drive leading off the second inning that was his first extra-base hit in 14 games at Kauffman Stadium. He had been 5 for 46 at home before Tuesday.

Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz tied it in the fourth with a 458-foot shot over the fountains in right field on the day he was announced as a participant in next-week’s Home Run Derby.

Kansas City Royals' Jac Caglianone celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Nick Gonzales put the Pirates ahead with a homer in the top of the seventh before Loftin’s drive made it 3-2.

Bryan Reynolds tied it with an RBI grounder in the eighth.

Maikel Garcia singled leading off the ninth against Dennis Santana (2-2) and Salvador Perez followed with a base hit. With one out, Isaac Mattson came in and gave up Loftin’s game-ending hit on a 1-0 fastball.

The Pirates fell to 0-5 to start their nine-game trip ahead of the All-Star Break. Kansas City has won five of six.

Carlos Estevez (3-2) worked a scoreless ninth for Kansas City.

The Pirates’ Mitch Keller and the Royals’ Seth Lugo, both rumored to be trade candidates before the July 31 deadline, were nearly identical through six innings. Each allowed one run on three hits with five strikeouts.

Key moment

The Pirates loaded the bases with one out in the eighth against Lucas Erceg, who gave up Reynolds’ tying fielder’s-choice grounder and then retired Gonzales on another groundball.

Key stat