Vinnie Pasquantino delivered a standout performance with five RBIs, including a three-run homer and a two-run double, as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-5 on Saturday afternoon. The win snapped an 11-game home losing streak for Kansas City, marking their first victory at Kauffman Stadium since May 31.
Despite entering the matchup as underdogs with betting odds around +135, the Royals capitalized on timely hitting and a solid outing from right-hander Seth Lugo to overcome the National League West-leading Dodgers. The win also ended a six-game overall skid for Kansas City.
Pasquantino’s three-run home run traveled 430 feet to right-center and capped a four-run fifth inning, providing the Royals with a commanding 7-0 lead. He added a two-run double in the seventh, tying his career high for RBIs in a single game. The Royals’ offense was efficient and aggressive throughout, with the top four hitters in the lineup—Jonathan India, Bobby Witt Jr., Maikel Garcia, and Pasquantino—combining for 11 hits and eight runs scored.
The Royals tagged Dodgers reliever Ben Casparius with the loss after he entered in the third inning and allowed multiple scoring opportunities. Casparius (6-2) gave up the first two runs on a two-out double by Garcia and could not contain the Royals’ momentum in the fifth.
Shohei Ohtani made his third pitching start of the season for Los Angeles, operating as an opener as he transitions back to the mound following Tommy John surgery in 2023. Ohtani delivered 27 pitches across two scoreless innings, highlighted by a career-best 101.7 mph fastball that ended the first inning on a double-play grounder by Pasquantino. Offensively, Ohtani struggled at the plate, finishing 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.
Seth Lugo (5-5) earned the win for Kansas City after pitching 5 2/3 innings of shutout baseball. He allowed four hits and five walks while striking out eight. Lugo navigated occasional traffic on the bases but kept the Dodgers scoreless through the bulk of his outing.
Freddie Freeman led the Dodgers with a 3-for-3 performance, including a solo home run. Los Angeles attempted a late comeback by scoring four runs in the ninth inning, but the deficit proved too large to overcome. Infielder Miguel Rojas was called upon to pitch the eighth inning in a rare appearance on the mound for the Dodgers.
The Royals’ four-run fifth inning was their most productive frame at home since May 8, and their 15 home runs remain the fewest in Major League Baseball.
The two clubs will meet in the series finale on Sunday. The Dodgers are expected to employ another bullpen game, using an opener to start the contest. At the same time, the Royals will counter with left-hander Kris Bubic (6-5, 2.16 ERA) as they aim to build on Saturday’s momentum.