CHICAGO — Catcher David Ross delivered a walk-off RBI single with bases loaded in the 11th inning to lift the Chicago Cubs to a 2-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.
Shortstop Alcides Escobar sprinted to short left to try to catch Ross’ bloop shot but it fell in for a hit as Escobar appeared to slip, allowing third baseman Kris Bryant to score from third.
Cubs left-hander Zac Rosscup (2-1) pitched one-third of an inning for the victory. Royals right-hander Jason Frasor (0-1) took the loss with one-third inning of work.
The walk-off win was the major league leading sixth of the season for Chicago.
The Cubs split the abbreviated inter-league series after Saturday’s middle game was rained out. The game will be made up Sept. 28.
Royals right-handed starter Yordano Ventura and Cubs left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada allowed just two runs between them but neither had a decision.
Wada worked 5 2/3 innings and allowed just two hits, struck out four and walked a pair in his third start of the season before departing for left-hander Travis Wood.
Wada walked center fielder Lorenzo Cain before leaving and was credited with one earned run when Cain later scored on left fielder Alex Gordon’s base hit to center for the 500th RBI of his career.
Ventura threw six shutout innings before allowing an RBI base hit to left fielder Chris Coghlan. The hit scored pinch runner Jonathan Herrera from second to force a 1-1 tie but Coghlan was tagged at second for an inning-ending out when trying to stretch the single.
Ventura allowed one run on four hits in seven innings. He struck out six and walked one.
The Cubs threatened in the ninth as first baseman Anthony Rizzo tripled to the right-field corner off right-handed reliever Wade Davis with one out.
Davis intentionally walked Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro, threw out catcher David Ross after a sacrifice bunt in front of the plate and struck out right fielder Jorge Soler on a 3-2 pitch to end the threat.
First baseman Kendrys Morales walked with two out in the Royals 11th and Gordon pushed him to third with a base hit. But Rosscup, the eighth Cub pitcher of the day, struck out catcher Salvador Perez to close the inning.
After a Saturday rainout, conditions were dry but cool Sunday. Game time temperatures were 47 degrees with a 21 mile-per-hour wind from the north.
NOTES: The Cubs and Royals saluted their 1915 Federal League counterparts — the Chicago Whales and the Kansas City Packers — by donning throwback uniforms honoring those franchises. … Wrigley Field was temporarily dubbed Weegham Park, the original name for the park. … Lennie Merullo, the oldest-living Cub and shortstop with Chicago’s 1945 World Series team, died Saturday at the age of 98. … Saturday’s rained out middle game in the series will be played at 7:05 p.m. on Sept. 28. … RHP Jason Hammel, Sunday’s original starter before the rainout, moved to Monday as the Cubs open a three-game series at Miami. … Royals RHP Jeremy Guthrie, Saturday’s originally scheduled starter, moved to a Tuesday assignment at home against the Cleveland Indians and makes his 10th start of the season. … The Royals’ only rainouts this season have both occurred in Chicago. Kansas City has a makeup with the Chicago White Sox scheduled for July 17 at U.S. Cellular Field.