July 10, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals designated hitter Salvador Perez (13) reacts after hitting a solo home run against the St. Louis Cardinals in the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports Salvador Perez hit a home run and drove in two runs as the visiting Kansas City Royals beat the St. Louis Cardinals 8-5 on Wednesday night to complete a day-night doubleheader sweep.
The Royals won the opener 6-4 as the teams played two games after a rain cancellation on Tuesday.
Kyle Isbel hit a home run and scored three times and MJ Melendez also homered for the Royals, who won their third straight game.
Kansas City starting pitcher Michael Wacha (6-6) allowed four runs, three earned, on seven hits in five innings. He struck out three batters and walked one.
James McArthur pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his 17th save.
Lars Nootbaar led the St. Louis attack with a home run, a double and two runs batted in.
Cardinals pitcher Gordon Graceffo (0-1) allowed three runs on four hits in 3 1/3 innings in his first start and second major league appearance. He struck out two batters and walked no batters.
St. Louis took a 1-0 lead on Nootbaar’s second-inning home run before the Royals tied the game on Melendez’s third-inning home run.
Kansas City took a 3-1 lead in the fourth inning. Bobby Witt Jr. led off with a single and advanced to third on a double by Vinnie Pasquantino.
After Perez hit a sacrifice fly, Matthew Liberatore replaced Graceffo and allowed Hunter Renfroe to score a two-out RBI single.
The Cardinals cut their deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the inning on doubles by Nootbaar and Nolan Gorman.
The Royals increased their lead to 5-2 in the fifth inning. Isbel singled with one out, stole second base and scored on Adam Frazier’s single. Frazier advanced to third base on the throw home and scored on Witt’s sacrifice fly.
St. Louis responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning on a single by Willson Contreras, an RBI double by Alec Burleson and an RBI single by Paul Goldschmidt in the infield.
Perez’s home run in the top of the sixth made it 6-4. Singles by Isbel, Witt and Pasquantino made it 7-4 in the seventh.
The Cardinals cut their deficit to 7-5 in the bottom of the seventh inning on Dylan Carlson’s single, Brendan Donovan’s double and Contreras’ RBI groundout.
Isbel’s home run in the ninth inning extended Kansas City’s lead to 8-5.
–Field level media
