Salvy leads Royals to 6-4 win over Cardinals in doubleheader opener
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Salvador Perez drove in two runs with a homer and a single, leading the Kansas City Royals to a 6-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday in the first game of a day-night doubleheader.
Garrett Hampson drove in two runs with a double while Hunter Renfroe added two hits and a run scored for the Royals.
Nolan Arenado, Alec Burleson and Paul Goldschmidt homered for the Cardinals.
Alec Marsh (7-6) gave up three runs and three hits in six innings to earn the victory. He struck out eight and walked one.
James McArthur earned his 16th save despite giving up a one-out solo home run to Goldschmidt and a two-out single to Arenado in the ninth inning.
Andre Pallante (4-4) pitched 6 1/3 innings, his longest outing this season. He took the loss, allowing four runs and six hits with five strikeouts and no walks.
Perez, who will play in the All-Star Game next week, hit a 424-foot homer onto the grass in center field with one out in the sixth, giving the Royals a 4-3 lead.
The Royals added two runs off reliever Chris Roycroft in the eighth. Vinnie Pasquantino drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Perez singled home Bobby Witt Jr., who had singled and took second on a wild pitch.
Kansas City scored three runs and four hits in the fifth to tie it at 3-3. MJ Melendez hit a run-scoring double and Hampson drove in two runs with another double.
Arenado gave St. Louis a 1-0 lead when he hit a one-out home run 411 feet into the left-field bleachers in the second inning. It was the fifth consecutive game going back to Aug. 13, 2020, that he has homered against the Royals.
Burleson hit a two-run homer into the right-field bullpen in the third inning.
EXTRA PLAYERS
Royals: Recalled left-hander Walter Pennington from Triple-A Omaha to serve as their 27th man for Wednesday’s doubleheader. The 26-year-old made his big-league debut last week in Colorado, retiring both batters he faced.
Cardinals: Recalled right-hander Gordon Graceffo from Triple-A Memphis to serve as their 27th man for the doubleheader.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cardinals: Infielder Tommy Edman (wrist surgery) began a rehab assignment Tuesday night at Double-A Springfield. He singled in three at-bats. He is scheduled for five innings playing center field Wednesday. … Iván Herrera (lower back tightness) caught a full nine innings Tuesday at Triple-A Memphis. He also hit a home run.
UP NEXT
Royals: Right-hander Michael Wacha (5-6, 3.74), who pitched for the Cardinals from 2013-19, has held opponents to three runs and 12 hits while striking out 19 batters in 16 1/3 innings in his past three starts. It will be Wacha’s third career start against the Cardinals. He is 2-0 with 2.19 ERA against St. Louis.
Cardinals: Right-hander Gordon Graceffo (0-0, 2.00) last month made his MLB debut for his only appearance. He pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing one run.