SAN DIEGO — — Jose Iglesias tied the game with two-run, two-out, bases-loaded pinch-hit single in the seventh inning and then drove in the winning run with a grounder in the ninth for the San Diego Padres, who beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 on Sunday to take two of three.
Iglesias hit a soft bouncer to shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who fielded it, spun around and threw home too late
Salvador Perez hit a two-run homer for the Royals and phenom Jac Caglianone leaped and got his glove over the right-field wall to rob Jackson Merrill of a two-run home run in the eighth.
Seth Lugo, who pitched for the Padres in 2023, was brilliant in retiring 18 straight batters after allowing Fernando Tatis’ leadoff single. Daniel Lynch got tagged with the loss.
Royals LHP Kris Bubic (6-4, 2.12 ERA) is scheduled to start Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game home series against Tampa Bay.