WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Interstat) — Bobby Witt Jr. hit a three-run home run in the top of the 10th inning and the Kansas City Royals defeated the Athletics 4-1 on Tuesday night at Sutter Health Park, snapping a three-game losing streak.

The game was scoreless until the second inning when the Athletics broke through. Jacob Wilson singled to center field, driving in Zack Gelof, who had reached on a single and advanced to second on a groundout. The Athletics held that 1-0 lead through five innings, thanks to a strong start from right-hander Aaron Civale, who allowed five hits over five scoreless innings with three strikeouts and no walks.

Kansas City tied the game in the sixth inning. Salvador Perez led off with a home run to center field, his fifth of the season, off Athletics reliever Scott Barlow. The Royals had runners on first and second later in the inning after a walk to Lane Thomas and a walk to Isaac Collins, but Thomas was caught stealing third base to end the threat.

The game remained 1-1 through the ninth inning. Kansas City starter Kris Bubic delivered his best outing of the young season, allowing one earned run on four hits over five innings while striking out six and walking two. Bubic, who entered the game with a 1-2 record and a 7.59 ERA, had allowed five earned runs in his previous start against Detroit. The Royals bullpen then took over, combining for five scoreless innings. Daniel Lynch IV pitched a scoreless sixth, Matt Strahm worked a scoreless seventh with two strikeouts, John Schreiber retired the side in order in the eighth, and Nick Mears struck out two in a perfect ninth.

The Athletics had opportunities to win in regulation. In the eighth inning, Colby Thomas singled and Carlos Cortes singled, putting runners on first and third with one out. But Royals reliever Matt Strahm struck out Zack Gelof, then got Darell Hernaiz to fly out to strand both runners. In the bottom of the ninth, Athletics right fielder Nick Kurtz was called out on strikes after a successful challenge by the Royals, ending the inning with the score still tied.

In the top of the 10th, the Royals finally broke through. With the automatic runner on second base, Kyle Isbel laid down a bunt single to put runners on first and second. Maikel Garcia bunted foul for an out, then Witt launched a pitch from Athletics reliever Justin Sterner over the right-center field fence for his second home run of the season, scoring Isbel and the automatic runner Nick Loftin. The three-run blast gave the Royals a 4-1 lead.

Lucas Erceg, who had entered in the bottom of the 10th to protect the lead, allowed a single to Gelof and walked Cortes but stranded the bases loaded when Darell Hernaiz lined out to second baseman Michael Massey to end the game. Erceg earned his seventh save of the season.

Nick Mears, who pitched a scoreless ninth with two strikeouts, picked up the win, improving to 2-1. Sterner, who allowed three runs on two hits in the 10th, took the loss, falling to 1-3. The Royals improved to 12-17 while the Athletics dropped to 15-14.

Both teams finished with eight hits. For Kansas City, Perez went 2 for 5 with a home run and an RBI. Witt was 1 for 5 with the homer and three RBIs. Maikel Garcia added a triple and a single. For the Athletics, Shea Langeliers had two hits, including a double, and Wilson drove in the only run.

The game took 3 hours, 14 minutes and was played before an announced crowd of 9,274.

Civale’s outing marked his second consecutive start of at least five innings without allowing an earned run. Bubic’s performance was a rebound after allowing five earned runs in a loss to Detroit five days earlier.

The Royals bullpen, which entered the game with a 4.76 ERA, combined for five scoreless innings, allowing three hits, walking two and striking out six. The Athletics bullpen, which had been solid in recent games, allowed three runs over five innings.

Kansas City’s win ended a three-game slide that included losses to the Los Angeles Angels and Baltimore Orioles. The Athletics lost for just the third time in their last nine games.

The two teams meet again Wednesday in the second game of the series, with Kansas City scheduled to start left-hander Cole Ragans (1-3, 5.40 ERA) and the Athletics countering with right-hander J.T. Ginn (2-2, 3.00 ERA). The Royals then travel to Seattle for a three-game weekend set while the Athletics return home to host Cleveland.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Athletics 5, Kansas City 4. Interstat’s ELO system gave the Athletics a 51.70 percent probability to win. Kansas City was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total score of five went over the over-under line of 9.5.