Perez powers Kansas City Royals to 4-run inning to beat the Red Sox in series opener
In a span of four batters, the Kansas City Royals went from tied, to winning, to tacking on breathing room and causing Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora to lose his cool and earn an ejection.
That’s how fast the Royals swung the game and put the heat squarely on their guests in the pivotal seventh inning of a 7-3 win in front of an announced 18,970 in the first game of a four-game set at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday night, the first game of an 11-game homestand for the Royals.
A walk, a pair of base hits and a big swing from the team’s catcher and leader Salvador Perez put the Royals firmly in control.
“It’s just hand it to the next guy, next man up,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “Not afraid to get guys over, get them in and then you get the big blast like Salvy did to give us a little space.”
The game also served as former Royals first baseman and World Series champion Eric Hosmer’s return to KC as well as his Red Sox debut.
Hosmer had a great view as things unfolded in the seventh. The Red Sox had just scored in the top of the inning to tie the game, 3-3, when the Royals responded.
“It was a really close game, but I feel like the energy in the dugout is just really, really good,” said Royals rookie MJ Melendez, who homered in the first inning. “We’ve been really, really close so now it’s about taking these games and trying to run with them, and moving forward and just getting on a really good streak.”
The Red Sox turned to left-handed reliever Darwinzon Hernandez to with Royals left-handed hitters Nicky Lopez and Melendez due up to start the inning.
Lopez drew a leadoff walk on a full count to put things in motion. Then Melendez singled to put runners on first and third for Bobby Witt Jr.
Witt lined a single past the outstretched arm of Xander Bogaerts and into left field as Lopez scored the go-ahead run.
That brought Perez to the plate with a chance to add to the one-run lead with no outs and two men on base.
“Nicky had a really good at-bat,” Melendez said. “I was just watching his at-bat while I was on deck, just trying to see what the pitcher was doing to him and just trying to stay patient and make him come to me once I got to 2-1. I was really just trying to find a pitch to hit, and I was able to do so.
“We kind of got the momentum going from there. Bobby came up with a huge hit. Then Salvy, of course, the home run. It’s like a script every time. I feel like every time we are in a big situation like that, Salvy is always coming up clutch to get the job done. He did it again today.”
Things got confusing when Perez crushed an absolute laser beam at 110 mph down the left field line where it appeared to hit the top of the wall and ricochet towards left-center field.
The umpires ruled it a home run, a three-run blast and the 15th of the season for Perez. The ball hit a piece of padding between the bottom of the foul pole and the top of the padded outfield wall.
“It’s hard to see from home plate, you know,” Perez said. “I just looked for the umpire. He put the finger up, and I ran the bases.”
The play prompted a video replay review.
Perez said he didn’t see the replay, and he didn’t seem to feel any need.
“A homer is a homer,” Perez said. “How am I gonna argue a homer? I say thank God that.”
Upon review, the home run stood and Cora came onto the field to voice his objections to home plate umpire and crew chief Bill Welke until Welke tossed him out of the game.
Asked if he thought the ball got out of the ballpark, Matheny said, “Salvy called homer, so I believed him.”
Matheny said his primary concern would’ve been placement of runners if they overturned the call.
The three-run homer gave the Royals a 7-3 lead and closed game’s the scoring.
“We never put our heads down, even though they tied it in the seventh,” Perez said. “That’s a really good thing. You know, we’re coming back. We’re going to compete. We scored some runs. We had the opportunity, Witt, Junior got the base hits to get the guys in. I hit a homer after that. It was a great response.”
Royals starting pitcher Kris Bubic turned in his fourth consecutive quality start, bouncing back from a rocky first inning to go six innings and strike out six with just one walk.
Bubic gave up two runs in the first inning, an inning during which the first three batters reached base, but then held the Red Sox to just two hits over the next five innings.
The Red Sox didn’t have a runner reach second base against Bubic after the first inning.
The first three batters in the Royals lineup, Perez (2 for 4, home run, four RBIs), Melendez (2 for 4, home run, two runs scored) and Witt (2 for 4, RBI, two runs scored, stolen base) combined for more than half the team’s total hits.
Lopez had a hit, two walks and two stolen bases.
Heart and hustle
The Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA) named Witt the Royals’ Heart and Hustle Award winner for 2022. The overall winner will be announced in mid-November on MLB Network.
The award recognizes players for demonstrating passion for the game of baseball as well as desire, and work ethic on and off the field.
The new guys
Royals first-round draft pick Gavin Cross, an outfielder out of Virginia Tech, began his professional career playing in the Arizona Complex League on Thursday night.
Second-round pick Cayden Wallace, a third baseman, is slated to play his first game in Arizona on Friday night.
This story was originally published August 4, 2022 at 10:24 PM.
