The Kansas City Royals broke a tie in the eighth inning, but it was base-running acrobatics by MJ Melendez that stole the show and ultimately the 4-3 win for the visitors over the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday afternoon.

The Royals would tie the game in the sixth when with one out, Melendez attempted to score on a ground ball by Kyle Isbel. To do so, he needed to leap over catcher Bo Naylor. Melendez was initially called out at the plate, but replay determined that Melendez was never tagged. Isbel would capitalize on his next at-bat, providing the game-winning RBI on a line-drive to right field with two out in the eighth.

The Royals and Guardians exchanged runs in the first, but José Ramírez gave Cleveland the lead with a home run in the third, followed by an RBI single in the fifth.

Brady Singer allowed three runs (two earned), nine hits and one walk in his start that lasted 3.2 innings, striking out two. Sam Long would pick up his first win of the season, allowing two walks but striking out one in his inning of relief work. Hunter Gaddis was tagged with the loss, while James McArthur collected his 12th save of the year.

The Royals leave Cleveland where they started, four games behind the Guardians in the AL Central. A tough homestand opens tonight, as the AL West-leading Seattle Mariners visit Kauffman Stadium this weekend. First pitch is 7:10 for the first game in the three-game series, with pregame beginning at 6:30 on KMMO.