Royals beat Pirates as Salvador Perez hits a 2-run homer, Alec Marsh strikes out 11
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Kansas City Royals' Kyle Isbelk, top, rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Luis L. Ortiz (48) during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton, left, and bench coach Don Kelly, center, stand in the dugout during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals in Pittsburgh, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez (13) follows through on a two-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Luis L. Ortiz during the second inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Kansas City Royals' Kyle Isbel, top, celebrates with Bobby Witt Jr. as he returns to the dugout after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Luis L. Ortiz during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz scores on a single by Joey Bart off Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Alec Marsh during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Kansas City Royals' Adam Frazier (26) celebrates with Yuli Gurriel as he crosses home plate after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Kyle Nicolas during the eighth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Luis L. Ortiz during the second inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
PITTSBURGH — Salvador Perez and Kyle Isbel hit home runs and drove in two runs each, Alec Marsh struck out 11 in 5 1/3 innings and the Kansas City Royals snapped Pittsburgh's four-game winning streak with an 8-3 victory Friday night over the Pirates.
Perez’s two-run shot to the bullpens in left-center capped a six-run second inning when the Royals broke a scoreless tie. Isbel’s solo homer in the fourth pushed the lead to 7-0. Adam Frazier added a solo home run in the eighth.
Marsh (8-8) allowed only one run, and the 11 strikeouts matched a career high. It was the second-year right-hander's first win since July 10.
The Pirates fell to 14-23 since Aug. 4, when their record was 56-54 and they were 2 1/2 games out of the National League’s third wild card.
Luis Ortiz (6-6) was tagged for seven runs — four earned — on five hits in four innings. His throwing error on Frazier’s chopper helped set up the Royals’ big second-inning.
Yuli Gurriel hit an RBI single, and Isbel drove in a run with a double before Tommy Pham’s two-run single made it 4-0. After Bobby Witt Jr. struck out, Perez hit his 27th home run of the season while raising his RBI total to 103.
Witt went 1 for 5, dropping his major league-leading batting average one point to .332.
The Pirates got on the board in the sixth when Oneil Cruz doubled and scored on Joey Bart’s single. Bryan Reynolds hit a sacrifice fly and Cruz added an RBI single in the ninth.
Pirates: LHP Marco Gonzales (strained left forearm) had left flexor tendon repair surgery, and an internal brace placed in his left ulnar collateral ligament. Eligible for free agency after the World Series, Gonzales is expected to miss most of next season. … 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes (lower back inflammation) could begin playing catch next week, but the Pirates are unsure if he will return this season.
Royals RHP Michael Wacha (12-7, 3.34 ERA) faces RHP Mitch Keller (11-9, 3.85) on Saturday. Wacha is 11-3 with a 2.62 ERA in his last 19 starts since May 9. Keller has lost four of his last five decisions.
