Kyle Isbel hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth inning after Salvador Perez clubbed a tying two-run shot earlier in the frame as the Kansas City Royals beat the visiting Washington Nationals 7-4 on Monday.
Two-run homers from Josh Bell and Paul DeJong put Washington up 4-2. In the sixth, Nationals starter Cade Cavalli issued a leadoff single to Maikel Garcia, who came home on a no-doubter well over the left field fence from Perez, who has hit 14 of his 21 home runs this season against NL opponents.
Adam Frazier (3-for-4) followed with a single, ending Cavalli’s outing. Jackson Rutledge (1-2) entered and got Randal Grichuk to hit into a 3-6 double play. However, after Nick Loftin singled, Isbel cleared the right field wall to give Kansas City its first lead of the night.
The Royals held on for a victory in their return home after a 4-5 road trip.
Washington, which had won two straight, wasted no time getting to Kansas City starter Bailey Falter. All-Star James Wood drew a leadoff walk and ultimately came home when Bell sent a hanger into the left-center-field fountains with two outs for a 2-0 Nationals lead.
The Royals made it 2-1 with consecutive singles from Garcia, Perez and Frazier to open the second. Loftin’s sacrifice fly with the bases loaded tied the contest, but Kansas City then stranded runners on second and third base.
Washington used the long ball to regain the lead in the fifth. Wood again reached to open the frame, this time with a single off Daniel Lynch IV (4-2), and came home when DeJong’s ball carried over the right-center-field wall for another two-run Washington edge.
Falter allowed two runs, three hits and three walks while striking out five in four innings. Lynch threw two innings of two-run ball. Carlos Estevez earned his 30th save for the Royals, who also got an eighth-inning sacrifice fly from Mike Yastrzemski.
Cavalli was charged with four runs on seven hits and three walks in five-plus innings. He struck out three. Rutledge gave up two runs in his lone inning.
–Field Level Media
