Leody Taveras Crushed a 12th-Inning Grand Slam and the Orioles Won't Stop Talking About It

The Baltimore Orioles walked into Kauffman Stadium on Monday night and left with their second win in seven games, but it took everything they had. Center fielder Leody Taveras launched a grand slam in the 12th inning off Alex Lange to put the finishing touches on a five-run frame, giving Baltimore a 7-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals and handing Kansas City their eighth straight loss.

How the O's Forced Extra Innings

This wasn't some blow-out where Baltimore dominated from the jump. The Royals had them tied at 2-2 going into the ninth when Samuel Basallo stepped up with two outs and delivered an RBI single to force extras. That at-bat kept Baltimore alive, and it set the stage for what came next in the 12th.

Once the 12th inning rolled around, Basallo struck again, breaking the tie with his second RBI single of the night. The bags were full, and Taveras got his pitch from Lange. He didn't miss it. The ball sailed over the center field wall for his first grand slam of the season, a five-run explosion that put the game out of reach. Anthony Nunez earned the win in relief, allowing just one unearned run across two innings.

The Rest of the Diamond on Monday Night

Around the majors, the Cubs continued their hot stretch with a 5-1 win over the Phillies. Dansby Swanson went deep with a three-run shot, and Colin Rea threw 6 2/3 quality innings of one-run ball to improve to 3-0. Chicago is now riding a six-game winning streak while Philadelphia dropped their sixth straight.

Out west, the Dodgers demolished Colorado 12-3 in Denver. Max Muncy went nuclear with two homers and four hits total, and Miguel Rojas reached the 1,000-hit milestone in his career. Shohei Ohtani extended his on-base streak to 52 games, just one behind Shawn Green for second all-time in Dodgers history since the team moved to Los Angeles.

The Reds stayed hot too, winning their fourth straight game and improving to 4-0 on their road trip with a 6-1 win over Tampa Bay. Cincinnati is leading the National League Central and has won six of their last seven.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.