What happened: San Diego took a lead into extra innings after Mason Miller struck out three straight Kansas City batters with the bases loaded and no outs in the ninth, but Kyle Hart allowed four runs, three earned, in the bottom of the 10th as the Royals walked off the Padres in the series opener. Craig Stammen's intentional walk to Salvador Perez in the eighth preceded the go-ahead run, which Ty France briefly erased with a ninth-inning homer.
Why it matters: It's just the second time this season the Padres have been walked off, and it leaves San Diego needing a win tonight to force a rubber match with Kansas City. Michael King worked five innings to start, and Bradgley Rodriguez and Adrian Morejon each allowed one run over three combined relief innings before Hart's 10th-inning collapse undid the effort.
By the numbers: Miller needed just 16 pitches to escape the bases-loaded, no-out jam in the ninth. Salvador Perez carries a career .273 average and .878 OPS in 11 at-bats against San Diego's scheduled starter for tonight.
What to watch: San Diego turns to Jhony Brito, Ron Marinaccio, Yuki Matsui, Miller and Matt Waldron out of the bullpen as it tries to even the series, while Kansas City holds Stephen Kolek back after a rehab assignment following his return from the family medical leave list.