ST. LOUIS (AP) — Nicky Lopez hit a tiebreaking single in the ninth inning after a long rain delay and the Kansas City Royals averted a three-game sweep, beating the St. Louis Cardinals 6-5.
Dylan Carlson homered for St. Louis, which has lost four of six. It was 5-all when Hanser Alberto began the Royals ninth with a single off closer Alex Reyes. Jarrod Dyson put down a bunt that first baseman Paul Goldschmidt threw wildly trying for a forceout, leaving runners at second and third before play was stopped for 2 hours, 10 minutes. When the game resumed, Lopez delivered a one-out hit to right to break the tie.
Kansas City is now 48-62 and 17.0 games back of the first-place Chicago White Sox in the AL Central.