Kansas City Royals vs Seattle Mariners Match Player Stats On Jul 05, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jul 6, 2017

SEATTLE -- All-Star Salvador Perez hit a two-run homer in the top of the 10th inning to break a tie, and the Kansas City Royals went on to defeat the Seattle Mariners 9-6 Wednesday night to sweep a three-game series at Safeco Field.

It was the fourth straight victory for the Royals (44-40), who took sole possession of the American League's second and final wild-card berth.

The Mariners (41-45) endured their seventh consecutive home defeat.

Mike Moustakas and Lorenzo Cain also hit two-run homers for the Royals. Moustakas homered in all three games in the series.

The Royals' bullpen combined for five scoreless innings, allowing just one hit. Mike Minor (5-1) got the victory by pitching a perfect ninth. Kelvin Herrera did the same in the 10th for his 19th save of the season.

Seattle's Mike Zunino, who homered earlier, nearly ended the game leading off the bottom of the ninth against Minor. His deep fly ball was caught by left fielder Alex Gordon against the wall.

Cain reached base leading off the 10th on second baseman Robinson Cano's fielding error. Cain was forced at second on Eric Hosmer's grounder, but Perez hit an 0-1 pitch from James Pazos (2-2) over the right field wall, his 17th home run of the season.

Kansas City tacked on another run on Gordon's two-out RBI single to right field off Nick Vincent. Moustakas, who had singled, advanced to second on left fielder Ben Gamel's error and made it to third on a fielder's choice, scored the final run.

The Mariners might have dealt a blow to Jason Vargas' hopes of starting the All-Star Game.

The Kansas City left-hander, who was announced as a member of the American League team on Sunday based on his league-best 12 victories, allowed six runs on eight hits in five innings, yielding three home runs. Vargas, who left with the score tied 6-6, saw his ERA jump from 2.22 to 2.62.

The Royals scored four runs in the top of the first off Ariel Miranda.

Whit Merrifield led off with a single, and an out later, Cain walked. Eric Hosmer hit a two-run double to center field. With two outs, Moustakas hit a two-run shot just over the right field fence, his 25th homer of the season.

Miranda, who leads the Mariners with seven wins, went five innings. He allowed six runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

The Mariners overcame the early 4-0 deficit, scoring in the first three innings.

Jean Segura led off the first with a single, moved to second on a one-out single by Cano and stole third. Segura scored on a groundout by Nelson Cruz and Cano came home on a two-out single by Gamel, cutting the margin to 4-2.

Seattle took the lead in the second as Zunino led off with a first-pitch homer to left field, his 12th of the season.

Jarrod Dyson then walked against his former team, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch before Segura cranked a two-run homer to center field, his sixth homer of the season. That gave the Mariners a 5-4 lead.

Cruz led off the third with a home run to left field to make it 6-4. It was his 15th homer of the season, his first since June 4.

Kansas City tied it at 6-6 in the fifth. Gordon led off with a single, and two outs later, Cain hit a two-run shot, his 11th home run of the season.

NOTES: Mariners 3B Kyle Seager, in an 0-for-14 slump, didn't play Wednesday. ... Royals 1B Eric Hosmer extended his hitting streak to 12 games. ... The Royals will have Thursday off before a three-game weekend series in Los Angeles against the Dodgers. RHP Jason Hammel (4-7, 5.08 ERA) is scheduled to pitch in the opener Friday. ... The Mariners continue their homestand Thursday when they host the Oakland Athletics in the opener of a four-game series. RHP Sam Gaviglio (3-3, 3.48) is set to face A's RHP Paul Blackburn, who will be making his second major league start. Blackburn allowed one unearned run on three hits in six innings in his debut Saturday against Atlanta.