Samad Taylor stole home to cap a five-run rally in the ninth as the Kansas City Royals beat the Colorado Rockies 8-6 in Cactus League play on Wednesday afternoon.
Down to their last three outs, the visiting Royals trailed 6-3. Outfielder Parker Bates, who is not an official non-roster invitee but has appeared in a team-leading five spring training games, led off the inning with a sharp double off Rockies reliever Josh Rogers. CJ Alexander, an infielder called up from minor league camp, drew a five-pitch walk, then non-roster catcher Jakson Reetz doubled to left field to bring Bates home. Jeison Guzman, another minor league call-up, drove Alexander in with an RBI groundout. Then Robbie Glendinning, yet another player summoned from the minor league side, scored Reetz and tied the game with a groundball single.
A Taylor single knocked Rogers out of the game, and the new pitcher — righty Blair Calvo — threw a wild pitch that allowed Glendinning to advance to third. Tyler Gentry drew a walk to load the bases, then minor leaguer Angelo Castellano plated Glendinning with a sac fly to left field. Taylor made it an 8-6 game and thrilled the crowd at Salt River Fields when he stole home as catcher Drew Romo threw the ball back to Calvo.
Brady Singer had somewhat of an up-and-down outing in his spring debut. The 26-year-old staff ace recorded three strikeouts but allowed two runs — one earned — on two hits and a walk. Singer was hurt a bit by his teammates — Rockies infielder Alan Trejo reached base in the second on a throwing error by Royals third baseman Nick Loftin, and after the right-hander was pulled with two outs in the inning, reliever Jonah Dipoto allowed Trejo to score on a line-drive single by Colorado's Yonathan Daza.
Rotation candidates Daniel Lynch and Carlos Hernández had strong outings. Lynch yielded two hits over two scoreless frames, while Hernández stuck out four and allowed an unearned run on two hits and a walk over a pair of innings.
Loftin, a first-round pick in 2020, put the Royals on the board with a two-run double in the fourth. Alexander had an RBI triple in the seventh.
The Royals host the Angels on Thursday at Surprise Stadium. Veteran right-hander Mike Mayers, who is looking to earn a spot on Kansas City's roster with a strong spring, will face his former team. Lefty Tucker Davidson will start for Los Angeles.
