KC Royals Report: Salvador Perez Smashes Tigers In 8-6 Win

KC Royals catcher Salvador Perez drove in a career-high five RBIs on a double and home run to power the Royals to an 8-6 victory over the Detroit Tigers at Kauffman Stadium Tuesday night.

The win runs the Kansas City Royals record to 9-4 on the season, and opens a .5 game lead over the White Sox in the AL Central.

Salvador Perez put the KC Royals ahead 5-0 in the fourth inning with a double to the gap in left to score Alex Gordon from first base and Kendrys Morales from second. Perez then seemed to put the game out of reach after the Tigers scored twice in the fifth, by taking former Kansas City Royals farmhand Blaine Hardy deep with a three-run blast in the bottom of the same inning to give the Royals a commanding 8-2 lead.

However, the Tigers rallied for three runs against reliever Danny Duffy, and scored again off Joakim Soria in the eighth to narrow the KC Royals lead to two.

The game featured numerous tense escapes by Kansas City Royals pitchers. Starter Yordano Ventura struck out former three-time MVP Miguel Cabrera with the bases loaded in the third and Herrera whiffed Cabrera with the bases juiced in the eighth. Overall, the Tigers stranded 12 runners in a game they could have easily won.

FANTASY NOTE:

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Salvador Perez continues to transform himself into a slugger. He’s clearly looking to drive the ball at the plate and could realize his 30 HR potential for the Kansas City Royals this season. His fantasy value is likely to substantially increase over his recent norm due to increase power numbers.

Outfield Jarrod Dyson returned to the KC Royals lineup Wednesday night after suffering an oblique injury this spring. He presumably will get the bulk of the playing time in right field and is a threat to rack up 60 or more steals with regular playing time.

KEY PITCHING PERFORMANCES:

Kansas City Royals:

Yordano Ventura: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, (W, 1-0)

Wade Davis: 1.0 IP, 1 BB, 1 K, (SV, 6)

Detroit Tigers:

Shane Greene: 4.1, 6 H, 7 ER, 4 BB, (L, 1-1)

KEY HITTING PERFORMANCES:

Kansas City Royals:

Salvador Perez: 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 HR (2), 5 RBI

Kendrys Morales: 2-2, 3 R, 1 BB

Jarrod Dyson: 2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI

Detroit Tigers:

Jarrod Saltalamacchia: 2-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 HR, 3 RBI

Justin Upton: 1-3, 1 R, 2 BB

Next: Royals Recall Jarrod Dyson And Miguel Almonte

NEXT GAME: 

The KC Royals will send Ian Kennedy (2-0, 0.66 ERA) to the mound against Jordan Zimmerman (2-0, 0.00 ERA) for Detroit 6:15 CST at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City on Wednesday, April 20.