KC Royals: Salvador Perez, Robbie Glendinning make WBC noise

The KC Royals pummeled the White Sox 14-5 in a Wednesday evening Cactus League game. And they did it without big guns Salvador Perez and Bobby Witt Jr., who were busy playing on their World Baseball Classic teams.

Witt made barely a blip on Team USA's radar during their 5-1 loss to the Red Sox in a WBC warmup contest. He entered the game as a defensive replacement in the bottom of the sixth inning and went 0-for-1. Pitcher Brady Singer didn't play for the United States.

Perez, however, made his presence known for Team Venezuela. So did Robbie Glendinning for Australia.

Primarily because his club opened actual Pool play Wednesday, take Glendinning first. The versatile infielder drove in four runs to fuel Australia's upset 8-7 Pool B victory over Korea in Tokyo. He did most of his damage with a three-run homer in the seventh.

Considering what he's done for the Royals in Cactus League play this spring, Glendinning's performance wasn't surprising—before leaving camp for the WBC, he was hitting .857 (6-for-7).

A trio of other KC Royals saw World Baseball Classic action Wednesday

Like Glendinning for Australia. Perez also went 1-for-3 with a homer, a second-inning solo shot off Houston starter Brandon Bielak that helped Venezuela beat the Astros 9-8 in an exhibition game. But he wasn't the only Royal making news against the defending World Series champions: despite giving up three runs and three hits in 1.2 innings, Carlos Hernández got the win.

Also going 1-for-3 Wednesday was Kansas City catcher-outfielder MJ Melendez. Playing for Puerto Rico in its warmup game against the Red Sox, Melendez knocked in one of his club's three runs with a single. Puerto Rico lost to the Sox 9-3.

What's in store for KC Royals players in the WBC Thursday?

In a game decided early Thursday, Kansas City infielders Nicky Lopez and Vinnie Pasquantino helped Team Italy get past Cuba 6-3 in extra innings. Lopez, 2-for-5 in the contest, singled to drive in two of the four runs Italy scored in the 10th to secure its Pool A win. Pasquantino went 2-for-4.

Ronald Bolaños didn't pitch for Cuba but is slated to start late Thursday night against Panama. Fox Sports 1 has the telecast.

The Royals themselves face Great Britain in a 2:05 p.m. CT exhibition tilt. In other exhibition play, involving Royals, Puerto Rico and Melendez face the Braves, Venezuela plays the Mets, and the U.S. is in action against the Angels ,