Cubs Rally In Ninth To Beat Royals 9-8 At Sloan Park

MESA, Ariz. — The Chicago Cubs defeated the Kansas City Royals 9-8 in a back-and-forth spring training game Wednesday at Sloan Park. Kansas City scored in the first inning when Lane Thomas tripled and later came home on a throwing error by second baseman Nico Hoerner. The Cubs answered with a five-run second inning highlighted by a grand slam from Pedro Ramirez and a solo home run by Hoerner to take a 5-1 lead. The Royals rallied with several home runs in the middle innings and briefly took the lead again in the ninth. Chicago responded with two runs in the bottom of the ninth, with Matt Halbach delivering the game-winning double to secure the 9-8 victory. The Cubbies take on the Mariners tomorrow afternoon.