(TSX / STATS) — SEATTLE — After answering questions about Salvador Perez’s two-run homer in the 10th inning and five scoreless innings from his bullpen that led to the Royals’ 9-6 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night, Kansas City manager Ned Yost turned to the camera for an impromptu public-service announcement.
“You’ve got until 3 o’clock tomorrow to vote,” Yost said, referring to the All-Star Game’s internet balloting in which Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas is one of five candidates to join the American League team. “Vote Moose! Let’s get him there.”
Moustakas certainly boosted his credentials in the three-game sweep of the Mariners, hitting a home run in each contest. His two-run shot in the first inning Wednesday, his 25th of the season, gave the Royals a 4-0 lead.
“I’m just trying to go up there with the same game plan all the time, not trying to do too much,” said Moustakas, who will compete in the Home Run Derby on Monday in Miami.
As for the online voting?
“It’s something I’m not trying to think about too much,” said Moustakas, who won that vote in 2015 to make his first All-Star team. “I’m just trying to be along for the ride. I’d love to go to Miami and stay for two days and not just one.”
Perez, who will be the American League’s starting catcher on Tuesday, homered off James Pazos (2-2) in the 10th to break a 6-6 tie Wednesday.
“The pitch before was away, so I was looking for something over the plate,” said Perez, whose 17th homer went to the opposite field in right. “My whole body was (aiming) the other way.”
Royals relievers Scott Alexander, Joakim Soria, Mike Minor and Kelvin Herrera allowed a total of one hit over the final five innings. Minor (5-1) got the victory after pitching the ninth, and Herrera earned his 19th save with a perfect 10th.
It was the fourth consecutive victory for the Royals (44-40).
“The bullpen held us right where we needed to be, and Salvy came up big,” said Kansas City left-hander Jason Vargas, who had one of his worst starts of the season. “That’s the way it’s been going recently. We’ve been able to come up with big hits in big moments.”
The Mariners (41-45), who took their seventh consecutive home defeat, might have dealt a blow to Vargas’ hopes of starting the All-Star Game.
Vargas, who has a 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.
“It was just one of those nights when he battled his control,” Yost said.
The Royals, who saw their 4-0 lead turn into a 6-4 deficit on home runs by Mike Zunino, Jean Segura and Nelson Cruz, tied it in the fifth on Lorenzo Cain’s two-run shot.
It stayed that way until the 10th, when Cain led off by reaching on second baseman Robinson Cano’s error. Cain was erased on Eric Hosmer’s fielder’s choice, but Perez followed with his home run to give the Royals an 8-6 lead. They added a final run on Alex Gordon’s two-out RBI single off Nick Vincent.
Zunino nearly ended it in the bottom of the ninth against Minor, as his deep fly ball was caught by left fielder Gordon against the wall.
“It was going to come down to getting a big hit,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “Off the bat, I thought (Zunino’s) was a big hit.”
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. Hosmer hit a two-run double to center field. With two outs, Moustakas hit a two-run shot just over the right-field fence.
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 their early deficit by scoring in the first three innings.
“It would have been easy to get down, but our guys got after it,” Servais said.
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 Cruz and Cano came home on a two-out single by Gamel, cutting the margin to 4-2.
Seattle took a 5-4 lead in the second.
Zunino led off with a first-pitch homer to left field, his 12th homer 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.
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.
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, and 2B Whit Merrifield extended his to 10. … 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.
Photo credit – Elaine Thompson / Associated Press / Seattle, WA
