KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Interstat) — The Kansas City Royals erased a three-run deficit with three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning Tuesday night, rallying past the Athletics 4-3 at Kauffman Stadium in front of 12,009 fans.

The game took 2:42 and gave the Royals their second consecutive win over the Athletics in this three-game series, after a 9-5 victory Monday. Kansas City improved to 53-74, while the Athletics dropped to 49-77.

The Athletics struck first and controlled most of the game behind a strong start from Jack Perkins, who pitched 3 2/3 innings, allowing one hit and no earned runs while striking out four. Brady Basso followed with 2 1/3 scoreless innings, and Luis Medina added 1 1/3 innings of hitless relief. But the Royals broke through in the seventh, then completed the comeback in the ninth against Athletics reliever Elvis Alvarado and losing pitcher Hogan Harris.

The Athletics took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Zack Gelof walked, Jeff McNeil singled, and Jonah Heim walked to load the bases. Tommy White then singled to left field, scoring Gelof, but McNeil was thrown out at home on the relay from left fielder Nick Loftin to catcher Carter Jensen.

Both starting pitchers settled in from there. Royals left-hander Daniel Lynch IV allowed two hits and one earned run in four innings, striking out one. Perkins matched him, and the game remained 1-0 through five innings. The Athletics threatened in the fourth and fifth but could not extend the lead, and the Royals grounded into their first of three double plays in the fourth inning to end a scoring chance.

The Athletics added two runs in the sixth inning off Royals reliever Mason Black. Henry Bolte singled, Gelof walked, and McNeil singled to left, scoring Bolte. After Jonah Heim grounded out, Tommy White struck out, but Lawrence Butler walked to load the bases. Max Muncy then walked to force in Gelof, making it 3-0. The Athletics had a chance for more but Donovan Walton flied out to center.

The Royals answered in the seventh against Basso. Jac Caglianone doubled to left, and Vinnie Pasquantino followed with a double to right, scoring Caglianone to cut the lead to 3-1. But Basso stranded Pasquantino, and Medina worked a scoreless eighth, though the Royals put two runners on base before Maikel Garcia lined out to right.

Leading 3-1 entering the bottom of the ninth, the Athletics turned to Harris, their left-hander who had allowed no hits in 1 1/3 innings of relief Monday. The inning unraveled quickly. Pasquantino flied out for the first out, but Salvador Perez reached on catcher interference by Jonah Heim. Michael Massey singled to center, moving Perez to second. Carter Jensen walked, loading the bases. Tyler Tolbert then singled to left field, driving in Perez and Massey to tie the game at 3. Isaac Collins lined out to center for the second out, putting the rally in jeopardy. But Bobby Witt Jr. followed with a single to left, scoring Jensen and giving the Royals a 4-3 walk-off victory.

Tolbert’s hit was the key blow, tying the game after the Athletics had been in control for eight innings. The Royals’ three-run ninth capped a comeback against an Athletics bullpen that had been effective most of the night. The Athletics pitching staff combined for seven strikeouts, 41 balls and seven balls in play, while Kansas City pitchers recorded nine strikeouts, 54 balls and nine balls in play.

The winning pitcher was Carlos Duran, who pitched the ninth inning and allowed one hit while striking out one. Duran improved to 1-0 on the season. Harris took the loss, falling to 3-2. He pitched the ninth and failed to record an out, allowing two hits and two walks. Alvarado was charged with one inherited runner scoring.

McNeil went 2 for 4 with an RBI for the Athletics, and Pasquantino went 2 for 4 with an RBI for the Royals. Bolte had two hits and scored twice for the Athletics. Lawrence Butler also singled in the ninth.

The Royals grounded into three double plays in the game, including two in the first five innings, but still managed to overcome the Athletics’ early advantage. The Athletics had five hits total, while Kansas City had nine.

The series continues Wednesday and Thursday at Kauffman Stadium before the Athletics travel to Houston and the Royals host Detroit. The Athletics have lost two straight and 13 of their last 19 games, while the Royals have won two in a row after a three-game losing streak.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Athletics 4, Kansas City 3. Interstat’s ELO system gave Kansas City a 59.00 percent probability to win. The Royals were installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5, and the combined score of 7 went over the over/under line of 10.