Diamondbacks beat Royals 5-3 in 11 innings and stay third in the wild-card race

Final result

The Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Kansas City Royals 5-3 in 11 innings on September 8, 2026, at Kauffman Stadium. Attendance was 13,361.

Arizona improved to 78-68. Kansas City fell to 64-82. It was the second game of a three-game regular-season series.

How the game changed

The game was scoreless through seven innings. Arizona broke through with one run in the eighth. Tim Tawa added a solo home run in the top of the ninth to double the lead.

Kansas City answered in the bottom of the ninth. John Rave hit a two-run homer to tie the game and send it to extra innings.

Each team scored once in the 10th. Arizona then scored two runs in the top of the 11th, and Kansas City did not score in the bottom half.

Key performances

Tawa led Arizona with three hits in five at-bats, along with a run, a home run and two RBIs. Ketel Marte and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. each had one hit in three at-bats, with a run and an RBI apiece. Corbin Burnes pitched three scoreless innings and struck out two.

For Kansas City, Michael Wacha pitched six scoreless innings with four strikeouts. Rave had one hit in three at-bats, scored a run and drove in two with his homer. Each team hit one home run.

Season and playoff context

As of September 8, 2026, Arizona is second in its division, 10.5 games back, with a division elimination number of 7. The Diamondbacks rank third in the wild-card race and hold a wild-card position.

Kansas City is fifth in its division, 12.0 games back, with an elimination number of 5. The Royals are 10th in the wild-card standings, 10.0 games back, with a wild-card elimination number of 6.

Series context

This was the second game of a three-game regular-season series at Kauffman Stadium. It was not a postseason game.

Official game sources

• MLB Stats API game feed
• MLB Stats API box score
• MLB Stats API line score
• MLB Stats API standings