A rejuvenated Salvador Perez will lead the reinvigorated Kansas City Royals against the visiting Texas Rangers on Saturday evening in the second contest of a three-game weekend series.
Perez’s three-run homer highlighted a six-run seventh inning Friday in Kansas City’s 7-1 victory, the Royals’ third straight win.
Perez is enjoying a strong start to his 13th season. He’s hitting .351 with a 1.018 OPS, and his 30 RBIs lead the American League.
“(In) 2021, when I had the (club) record, 48 homers, was the last time I see that,” Perez said of fans beckoning him for a curtain call. “I appreciate the fans in Kansas City. I think they feel the same energy we feel.”
“That was really cool,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “This place was rocking tonight. The crowd was into it. Both halves of that seventh inning, there was a lot happening between (pitcher John) Schreiber’s half and then our offensive half. And then to cap it off with that home run was really special. He loves the big moment.”
Schreiber struck out Marcus Semien with the bases loaded prior to Kansas City’s big inning.
“(The pitchers) gave everything they had to give us the opportunity to score some runs and win the game,” Perez said.
MJ Melendez started the inning with a leadoff single, snapping a 0-for-27 slide.
“The whole thing started with MJ’s at-bat, with two strikes,” Quatraro said. “We know he’s been scuffling to stay in there, to continue to battle, get the base hit.”
Right-handers Michael Wacha (2-1, 4.24 ERA) of Kansas City and Dane Dunning (3-2, 4.13) of Texas will square off on Saturday.
In two career starts vs. the Rangers, Wacha is 0-1 with a 1.74 ERA. His most recent encounter against them was a 2 2/3-inning performance for the Rays on June 6, 2021, when he allowed a run on two hits and two walks. Corey Seager has six hits in 12 at-bats against Wacha.
Dunning is 2-1 with a 2.33 ERA in four career starts and two long relief appearances — both last year — against the Royals. He posted 6 1/3 scoreless frames in two bullpen stints, including 4 1/3 innings of one-hit pitching for the win April 17. Kyle Isbel has a home run in three at-bats against Dunning.
Seager’s two-out hit in the third inning provided Texas’ only offense Friday. Seager had two hits in the game to break out of a 3-for-41 slump.
“We got one run,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “It’s going to be tough to win a game with one run.”
Texas was 1-for-6 with runners-in-scoring-position on Friday, including leaving the bases loaded with the game tied in the seventh.
“I think it’s fair to say we’re not where we were last year at this time,” Bochy said. “You’ve got to find a way to be consistent as far as putting runs on the board. It’s gonna happen. Right now it’s been a little bit of a roller-coaster ride.”
The Rangers are one of three teams without a winning or losing streak longer than three games.
–Field Level Media
