CINCINNATI (Interstat) — The Kansas City Royals scored three runs in the ninth inning Wednesday night to break a 2-2 tie and beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-2 at Great American Ball Park.

The victory gave the Royals a split of the three-game series after they lost 4-3 in 10 innings Tuesday and won 9-2 on Monday. Kansas City improved to 24-38, while Cincinnati fell to 31-30.

For seven innings, the game was a taut duel between starters who kept the opposing lineups off balance. The Reds’ Blake Dunn tied the game in the fifth with a two-run homer, his second of the season, after the Royals had jumped ahead in the first on a two-run shot by Vinnie Pasquantino.

But the Royals’ ninth-inning rally, keyed by a three-run homer from Nick Loftin, proved decisive.

Kansas City took the initial lead in the top of the first. After Carter Jensen flied out, Bobby Witt Jr. walked. Pasquantino then drove a 1-0 pitch over the right-field wall for his sixth homer of the year, scoring Witt and giving the Royals a 2-0 advantage. Salvador Perez flied out and Jac Caglianone struck out to end the inning.

Reds starter Stephen Kolek worked around a single in the second and a pair of walks in the third, but the Royals could not add to their lead. Kolek allowed only two hits through three innings, striking out five.

The Reds broke through in the bottom of the fifth. Will Benson led off with a bunt single but was erased on a double play grounder by Tyler Stephenson. Matt McLain followed with a single to center, and Dunn then launched a 2-1 pitch over the left-field wall to tie the game at 2. JJ Bleday struck out to end the inning.

Both bullpens then kept the score level through the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. Cincinnati’s Caleb Ferguson worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing no hits and striking out one. Tejay Antone pitched 2/3 of an inning, giving up one hit with one strikeout. Zach McCambley tossed 2/3 of an inning, allowing one hit and striking out two.

The Royals’ relievers also held firm. Daniel Lynch IV entered in the sixth and retired the side in order that inning. He worked a scoreless seventh and eighth as well, setting up the ninth-inning explosion.

With the game still tied at 2, the Royals mounted their decisive rally in the top of the ninth. Tony Santillan came on to pitch for Cincinnati. Caglianone led off with a single to right. Isaac Collins sacrificed him to second, with Tyler Tolbert pinch-running. Michael Massey then singled to right, scoring Tolbert to give the Royals a 3-2 lead. Loftin followed by driving a 1-0 pitch to left-center for his first homer of the season, scoring Massey and extending the lead to 5-2. Lane Thomas walked, but Jensen struck out and Witt singled, moving Thomas to third. Zach McCambley intentionally walked Pasquantino to load the bases, but Perez struck out to end the inning.

Lynch, who earned the win, improved to 2-0. Santillan took the loss, falling to 1-2. Alex Lange pitched the bottom of the ninth, allowing a double to Spencer Steer but striking out two and walking one before Dunn flied out to end the game. Lange recorded his first save of the season.

Key performances included Steer, who went 1-for-3 with a double. Tejay Antone worked 2/3 of an inning, allowing one hit with one strikeout. Santillan pitched 1/3 of an inning, giving up three hits and three earned runs. Nathaniel Lowe was 0-for-3. Matt McLain was 1-for-3. Caleb Ferguson pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing no hits with one strikeout. Will Benson was 1-for-4. Blake Dunn was 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs. JJ Bleday was 1-for-4. Zach McCambley pitched 2/3 of an inning, allowing one hit with two strikeouts.

The game drew 15,959 fans and lasted 2 hours, 45 minutes.

Kansas City heads to Minnesota for a four-game series beginning Thursday. The Royals then return home to host Texas, Houston and Minnesota in their next 10 games. Cincinnati travels to St. Louis for a three-game series starting Friday, followed by a three-game set in San Diego and then a homestand against Arizona and New York.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Cincinnati Reds 5, Kansas City Royals 2. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Cincinnati with a 54.60 percent probability to win. Cincinnati had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total score of 7 went over the over/under line of 9.