Joe Maddon thought the Chicago Cubs were ready to squeeze out a comeback win.

After all, the manager saw his players themselves up after falling behind by three. Then, they stumbled late in the game.

Jorge Soler and Addison Russell homered to tie the game for Chicago before the Kansas City Royals scored three in the eighth inning to pull away for an 8-4 victory over the Cubs on Friday.

"We played well today," Maddon said. "We had them on the ropes. They showed why they went to the World Series last year. We showed why we're not ready yet."

Kansas City's Lorenzo Cain hit a tiebreaking RBI double and scored in the eighth.

Alcides Escobar homered on the game's first pitch. Alex Gordon and Salvador Perez also went deep, and the Royals snapped a four-game losing streak after squandering a 4-1 lead.

Mike Moustakas walked leading off the eighth against Pedro Strop (1-3). Cain, who had three hits, then drove him in with a double to the base of the wall in right-center, and the Royals scored two more thanks to an error by center fielder Dexter Fowler with two out and Justin Grimm pitching.

Fowler dropped Omar Infante's liner trying to make a shoestring catch with runners on first and second, then fell trying to pick up the ball. Cain and Eric Hosmer scored, making it 7-4, and the Royals got back to winning after a three-game sweep by the Yankees in New York.

Edinson Volquez was making it look easy before Chicago's Jorge Soler chased him with a two-run homer with two out in the sixth. He connected on a 3-0 pitch, making it 4-3.

Kelvin Herrera (1-1) gave up a tying solo drive to Addison Russell in the seventh but picked up the win. Wade Davis struck out the side in the eighth and Greg Holland worked the ninth.

"We needed to have this win today," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "We didn't want to take the five in a row. That's a much improved club over there. They've really got some nice young talented players."

Volquez was in line to win his third straight start before the late rally. The right-hander allowed three runs and six hits, struck out a season-high nine and walked one.

Jake Arrieta lasted seven innings, allowing four runs and eight hits. He struck out five without a walk.

Kansas City, making its first appearance at Wrigley Field since 2001, wasted no time jumping ahead in this one.

Outscored 29-5 over the previous four games, the Royals immediately grabbed the lead when Escobar drove the first pitch to the bleachers in left-center for his second home run. It was also his second career leadoff homer, both coming this season.

"I knew going in that he likes to come out hacking early," Arrieta said. "Had a heater there to start the game, obviously wanted to try to get ahead. It leaked over part of the plate too much and he put a good swing on it."