CHICAGO (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a leadoff homer and a two-run double in Kansas City’s eight-run fifth inning as the Royals pummeled the Chicago White Sox 12-1 on Wednesday night.
Perez’s double gave him 993 RBIs — one more than Amos Otis for third place in Royals history. Next on the list is Hal McRae with 1,012. George Brett leads with 1,596.
Ryan Bergert (2-1) pitched a season-high six innings, allowing one run and six hits for his first win in five starts with Kansas City. Jonathan Bowlan, Angel Zerpa and Daniel Lynch IV finished with a scoreless inning apiece.
Perez tied it at 1 with his 23rd homer when he connected off Aaron Civale (3-9). Bobby Witt Jr. chased Civale with a two-out, two-run single and Vinnie Pasquantino greeted Tyler Gilbert with a two-run single for a 5-1 lead. Adam Frazier doubled in Perez for an 8-1 advantage.
Mike Yastrzemski hit his 14th homer — a three-run shot off Gilbert in the sixth to make it 11-1. Yastrzemski doubled and scored on Maikel Garcia’s single in the eighth. Witt went 2 for 4 to extend his hitting streak to 16 games.
Andrew Benintendi hit his 15th home run in the Chicago fourth. The drive came on a pitch 1.02 feet above the ground, the lowest pitch he’s homered on in his career, according to MLB Statcast.
Civale gave up five runs in 4 2/3 innings. Gilbert retired one batter and allowed six runs.
Key moment
Bergert earned his first win since beating the New York Yankees 4-3 on May 5 with San Diego.
Key stat
The White Sox need to win 15 of their final 29 games to avoid reaching 100 losses for a third straight season.
Up next
The Royals host the Detroit Tigers for three games beginning Friday. Neither team had announced a starting pitcher.
White Sox RHP Davis Martin (5-9, 3.93 ERA) starts Thursday at home in the opener of a four-game series against RHP Will Warren (7-6, 4.47) and the Yankees.
___
AP MLB:
