Salvador Perez homered and drove in two runs as the visiting Kansas City Royals beat the St. Louis Cardinals 8-5 Wednesday night to complete a day-night doubleheader sweep. The Royals won the opener 6-4 as the teams played two following a Tuesday rainout. Kyle Isbel hit home run and scored three times and MJ Melendez also homered for the Royals, who won their third straight game. Kansas City starter Michael Wacha (6-6) allowed four runs, three earned, on seven hits in five innings. He struck out three and walked one. James McArthur tossed a scoreless ninth inning for his 17th save. Lars Nootbaar paced the St. Louis offense with a homer, a double and two runs. Cardinals pitcher Gordon Graceffo (0-1) allowed three runs on four hits in 3 1/3 innings in his first start and second appearance in the big leagues. He fanned two without issuing a walk. St. Louis took a 1-0 lead on Nootbaar's second-inning homer before the Royals tied the game on Melendez's third-inning homer. Kansas City moved ahead 3-1 in the fourth inning. Bobby Witt Jr. led off with a single and moved to third on Vinnie Pasquantino's double. After Perez hit a sacrifice fly, Matthew Liberatore replaced Graceffo and allowed Hunter Renfroe's 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 hit a one-out single, stole second and scored on Adam Frazier's single. Frazier advanced to third on the throw home and scored on Witt's sacrifice fly. St. Louis answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning on Willson Contreras' single, Alec Burleson's RBI double and Paul Goldschmidt's RBI infield single. Perez's homer leading off the sixth inning 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 on Dylan Carlson's single, Brendan Donovan's double and Contreras' RBI groundout. Isbel's ninth-inning homer upped Kansas City's lead to 8-5. --Field Level Media
Jul 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 during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports