KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals selected first baseman Nick Pratto in the first round of the 2017 MLB Draft. On Sunday, they met up with another member of that draft class.

Washington Nationals pitcher MacKenzie Gore was selected third overall in 2017. And he lived up to his firstround status by shutting down the Royals for most of Sunday’s game at Kauffman Stadium.

The Royals had no answers against Gore and the Nationals ... until he left in the seventh inning.

KC overcame a slow start, rallied in the late innings and beat Washington 3-2.

Gore, who made his MLB debut last season, recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts. His fastball topped out at 97.4 mph. The pitch generated 34 swings and seven strikeouts.

Gore mixed in a devastating slider and curveball and the Royals were unable to make solid contact in the middle innings. Gore struck out seven of 11 batters during the third through fifth innings.

But the Royals were able to put together some consistent at-bats against the Nationals’ bullpen.

KC scratched across one run in the seventh inning. MJ Melendez hit a solo homer into the left-field seats. It was his fifth home run of the season. Edward Olivares hit a home run in the eighth inning.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Royals walked it off as Michael Massey drove home Melendez with a sharply hit ball to right field.

The comeback victory helped salvage a solid start from Daniel Lynch. He made his 2023 debut and look good across 5 1/3 innings. He allowed five hits, two earned runs and three walks and struck out six.

The Royals snapped a three-game losing streak and will head to St. Louis for a two-game series against the Cardinals starting Monday night.

Aroldis Chapman escapes with bases loaded Aroldis Chapman was in quite the seventh-inning jam.

He allowed a leadoff double, single and walk to load the bases with one out. It was seemingly a no-win situation, with the Royals clinging to a one-run deficit. Chapman needed to hold the line.

He did just that in his latest Houdini act. Chapman overcame the base-path traffic and a wild pitch to keep the Nationals from scoring. He struck out Alex Call and got Riley Adams to pop up to Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. to end the threat.

Edward Olivares sends baseball into orbit There is a distinct sound when Edward Olivares connects his bat with a baseball.

It’s loud — and the result is generally positive. In the eighth inning, Olivares blasted his fourth home run deep into the outfield seats. The solo shot traveled 452 feet and registered a 111 mph exit velocity.

That homer sent shockwaves through Kauffman Stadium (and left the video board on the Royals Hall of Fame smoking). It tied the game at 2 and provided the Royals with a late scoring opportunity.

Olivares recorded four hits during the Royals’ homestand, including a double and RBI against the Detroit Tigers.