Royals fall to Dodgers 5-4 on June 29, 2025, after a ninth-inning rally ends in heartbreak. Despite a Bobby Witt Jr. homer, a late double play sealed the loss.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a game of inches, a game of moments, and ultimately, a game of heartbreak. The Kansas City Royals, with the bases loaded and the winning run on base in the bottom of the ninth, fell agonizingly short against the Los Angeles Dodgers, losing 5-4 after rookie Jac Caglianone grounded into a spectacular game-ending double play. The roar of the Kauffman Stadium crowd turned to a collective groan as a promising rally was extinguished in an instant, capping a thrilling but ultimately disappointing Sunday afternoon.
The Royals have now played in five one-run games over their last eight contests, a trend of tight finishes that has tested the team's resolve.
The Dodgers came out swinging, with Shohei Ohtani launching his 29th home run of the season on the very first pitch from Royals starter Noah Cameron. Max Muncy added a two-run homer in the second to put the Royals in an early hole. But Kansas City refused to fold. The offense roared back, culminating in a massive two-run blast from the team's superstar shortstop, Bobby Witt Jr., that electrified the home crowd and gave the Royals their only lead of the day.
Trailing 5-4 heading into their final at-bat, the Royals mounted the kind of rally fans dream of. Maikel Garcia and Salvador Perez led off with singles, and a subsequent walk to Vinnie Pasquantino loaded the bases with just one out. The stage was set for a walk-off hero. Unfortunately, rookie Jac Caglianone hit a sharp grounder to second, and the Dodgers turned a slick double play, punctuated by a dramatic stretch from Freddie Freeman at first base to seal the victory and crush the Royals' hopes.
Starter Noah Cameron (2-4) battled but ultimately took the loss, surrendering the early homers to Ohtani and Muncy that put the team in a deficit they could never quite overcome. The bullpen kept the game within reach, but the offense couldn't push across another run after Witt's homer. On the other side, the Dodgers' bullpen was formidable, with Tanner Scott locking down his 18th save of the season by inducing the crucial final ground ball.
While the 'L' in the box score stings, especially in such dramatic fashion, there are positives to take away. The team's resilience, highlighted by players like Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez on social media after the game, is palpable. They fought back from an early deficit and were one swing away from a win. This trend of playing in tight, one-run games is nerve-wracking, but it also shows they are competing with the league's best. As they look to the next series, the Royals need to find a way to flip these close losses into wins, because the fight is clearly there.
