KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Pirates lost their fifth consecutive game on Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium, falling 4-3 to the Royals on a walk-off single from second baseman Nick Loftin. Dennis Santana took the loss, dropping to 2-2, while Royals closer Carlos Estevez got the win to improve to 3-2.

Santana, coming out for his second inning of relief, allowed back-to-back singles to start the ninth before getting an out. Manager Don Kelly turned to Isaac Mattson to escape the two-on, one-out jam, but Loftin’s liner to center off him dropped for the game-winning hit.

The Pirates have lost their first five games of a nine-game road trip, their longest of the season.

The Royals struck first in the top of the second. Rookie right fielder Jac Caglianone, batting just .144 to start his major league career, launched a Mitch Keller change-up over the center-field fence. It was the third homer of Caglianone’s career, and the first at Kauffman Stadium.

The Pirates tied it up in the fourth. Oneil Cruz, who announced his Home Run Derby participation earlier Tuesday, launched a ball 458 feet over Kauffman’s fountains in right-center field.

They briefly took the lead. In the top of the seventh, second baseman Nick Gonzales chased Royals starter Seth Lugo with a leadoff homer to center.

But two mistakes cost the Pirates in the bottom half. Royals catcher Salvador Perez reached on catcher’s interference from Pirates backstop Henry Davis, snapping Keller’s streak of retiring 16 Royals in a row. Two batters later, Keller hung a slider to Loftin and the Royals took the lead.

The Pirates tied the game in the eighth, but missed a chance to take the lead. They loaded the bases with one out against right-hander Lucas Erceg with a single and two walks, then tied the game when designated hitter Bryan Reynolds beat out a double-play ball. With runners on the corners, Gonzales grounded into a fielder’s choice to end it.

It was over when …

… Loftin’s single dropped in center field. Cruz attempted to make a diving catch, but would not have been able to throw out the runner from third even if he had caught it.

On the mound

Keller’s line — 6 2/3 innings, four hits, three runs, two earned, a walk and five strikeouts — doesn’t reflect how well he pitched. He cruised through the bulk of the game, not allowing a hit between Caglianone’s homer to start the second inning and Loftin’s homer with two away in the seventh. It’s still a quality start, but it wasn’t as quality as it could have been.

At the plate

The Pirates had six hits, five for extra bases. Left fielder Tommy Pham, third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes and Davis all doubled. Davis, who doubled with one away in the fifth, was swiftly picked off trying to steal third.

Most valuable player

Loftin entered the series batting .171 with one homer and six RBIs. Against the Pirates, he’s 4 for 8 with two homers and four RBIs, raising his average to .202.

Up next

The Pirates will try to avoid a sweep in the finale of their three-game series on Wednesday at 7:40 p.m. Bailey Falter (6-4, 3.69 ERA) will start for Pittsburgh, while the Royals will start All-Star lefty Kris Bubic (7-6, 2.36).