ST. LOUIS (AP) — Nick Loftin homered to start a six-run fifth inning, Bobby Witt Jr. also homered and the Kansas City Royals erased a five-run deficit to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 10-7 on Tuesday night in the major league debut of top Royals’ prospect Jac Caglianone.
Caglianone, recalled from Triple-A Omaha on Monday, went hitless in five at bats.
Daniel Lynch IV, Steven Cruz (2-0), Angel Zerpa, John Schreiber and Taylor Clarke combined to pitch 5 1/3 innings of scoreless relief before Carlos Estévez pitched a scoreless ninth for his 17th save.
Vinnie Pasquantino hit a game-tying two-run double off Cardinals reliever Steven Matz (3-2), and Salvador Perez followed with an RBI single to give Kansas City an 8-7 fifth inning lead.
Loftin hit his first home run since last June 18 to start the rally. After Drew Waters, Kyle Isbel and Jonathan India singled, Witt hit a two-run single to right field to cut Kansas City’s deficit to 7-5 ending Cardinals starter Andre Pallante’s night.
Pallante allowed a career high-tying seven runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Alec Burleson hit a two-run home run to center field to cap off a five-run third inning and chase Michael Lorenzen (3-7) from the game after allowing seven runs on seven hits in 2 2/3 innings.
Witt hit his seventh home run of the season to give Kansas City a 2-0 first inning lead.
Key moment
Caglianone stepped up to the plate for the first time to lead off the top of the second inning. He lined a 2-2 pitch to the warning track in right-center field where Victor Scott II ran 92 feet to rob him of his first career hit.
Key stat
St. Louis lost for the first time in eight games when scoring at least four runs in Pallante’s starts.
Up next
Royals LHP Noah Cameron (2-1, 1.05 ERA) will face Cardinals RHP Miles Mikolas (4-2, 3.90) Wednesday night.