Salvador Perez hit home runs in both games, and MJ Melendez added a solo homer in the second game to help the Kansas City Royals sweep the St. Louis Cardinals with an 8-5 victory in the nightcap of Wednesday’s day-night doubleheader.
The Royals also won the opener 6-4. With their third consecutive win, the Royals improved to 51-43 this season, a significant improvement from last year’s total of 56 wins.
Michael Wacha (6-6) earned the win in the second game with five innings pitched. He previously played seven seasons with the Cardinals (2013-2019) and was named MVP of the 2013 NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers. This start marked his first return to St. Louis since departing five years ago.
“There were definitely some emotions there,” Wacha acknowledged. “It was hard to treat it like just another start.”
Lars Nootbaar hit a home run for St. Louis in the second game, giving the Cardinals an initial 1-0 lead in the second inning.
Closer James McArthur secured his 17th save of the season and second of the day. McArthur hadn’t pitched in the previous six days but was prepared for the challenge of the doubleheader.
“It was just one of those things where you throw and see how you’re feeling,” McArthur explained.
Perez began the sixth inning with his 16th home run of the season, extending the Royals’ lead to 6-4.
“He’s a catalyst for us,” said Royals manager Matt Quatraro about Perez. “The middle of our lineup is crucial, and no one is more important than Salvy.”
Perez finished the doubleheader 3 for 7 with two home runs and four RBIs. It marked the second time in his career that he homered in both games of a doubleheader, the first being on May 21, 2017 against Minnesota.
Melendez started the third inning with his 10th home run of the season.
Wacha allowed four runs on seven hits over five innings in the second game. He had previously given up two earned runs or fewer in his last eight starts.
