Salvador Perez capped a five-run second inning with a two-run double, and the visiting Kansas City Royals held on to defeat the San Diego Padres 5-4 to even the interleague series at a win apiece on Tuesday.

San Diego’s bullpen held the Royals scoreless over the final seven innings while the Padres drew close with two runs in the fifth and two in the sixth.

The win halted a four-game losing streak for the Royals. The loss was the sixth in seven games for the Padres.

Right-hander Brady Singer (3-4) gave up four runs (two earned) on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts in six innings to earn the win for the Royals. Closer Scott Barlow worked a perfect ninth to earn his fifth save.

Padres starter Seth Lugo gave up five runs on four hits and two walks with two strikeouts in just two innings to take the loss and fall to 3-3.

Former Padre Edward Olivares opened the Royals’ second with a single, stole second and moved to third on a passed ball before MJ Melendez drew a one-out walk. Matt Duffy then plated Olivares with a single to left to make it 1-0. Freddy Fermin then drew a walk to load the bases.

Nate Eaton then hit a sharp grounder to short, but beat the relay throw to first to avoid an inning-ending double play and drive in the second run. Bobby Witt Jr. followed with an RBI single ahead of Perez’s two-run double.

Two errors and an RBI triple by Jake Cronenworth gave the Padres two runs in the fifth. Xander Bogaerts opened the sixth with a single and scored on Matt Carpenter’s double. Ha-Seong Kim drove in Carpenter with a sacrifice fly.

The Padres had runners picked off first in both the seventh and eighth innings (with the tying run at third and two out in the eighth). The Padres also grounded into double plays in both the first and second innings.

–Field Level Media