3 takeaways from a big KC Royals road win

The KC Royals can win big even when one of their biggest guns is quiet

Having more Silver Sluggers than George Brett raises expectations about a big league hitter, and that he'll be at the heart of, or at least significantly involved in, his team's big offensive outbursts is one of them.

Salvador Perez, however, so often responsible for inflicting some of the heaviest damage when the Royals score scads of runs, didn't meet that particular expectation Wednesday night.

He didn't even come close. Instead, Perez went 0-for-5 and was the only Royal starter not to get a hit.

That Kansas City thumped Texas so thoroughly without even a peep at the plate from Perez is encouraging, especially for a club counted, from the season's first pitch, among the worst in the majors offensively. So bad have their bats been that the majority of the Royals who started Wednesday's game were hitting below .200.

But no matter. Bobby Witt Jr. went 3-for-5 with a triple, a run driven in, and three steals. MJ Melendez was 2-for-5 with a double and three RBIs. Vinnie Pasquantino homered; fellow slugger Franmil Reyes did not, but singled twice and knocked in a run.

Edward Olivares and Nicky Lopez both had two hits and an RBI. And Michael Massey chipped in two RBIs.

Not counting Perez, the Royals were 14-for-36 and 6-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

Not bad when one of the big bats is silent.