Salvador Perez smashed his 250th home run, and Bobby Witt Jr. scored four times to lead the Kansas City Royals to an 11-7 victory over the New York Mets on Saturday.
Perez, who earned the 2015 World Series MVP title when the Royals defeated the Mets in five games, drove in two runs with a single in the second inning before his two-run homer in the fourth, confirmed after a review showed the ball cleared the home-run line.
“It’s very meaningful – extremely exciting, especially with the win,” Perez remarked. “Hopefully, there will be many more.” Perez joins a select group as the sixth Venezuela-born player to hit 250 homers and the 12th primary catcher in MLB history to reach this milestone.
“It’s significant for all of us – everyone who gets to witness this, the fans in Kansas City have seen it for 13 years now,” said Royals manager Matt Quatraro. “Just being here every day and watching someone like him, as professional as he is, continue to earn these honors is truly special.”
Witt, who also scored four times in Thursday’s win over the Houston Astros, nearly added a fifth run Saturday, narrowly missing a three-run homer in the sixth inning when Brandon Nimmo made a leaping catch at the wall.
Nick Loftin contributed a career-high three RBIs as the Royals improved to 10-5, marking just the seventh time in team history they have won at least 10 of their first 15 games.
The Royals have dominated opponents, outscoring them 84-46, marking the second-largest run differential in team history through 15 games, only behind the 1977 team (plus-39), which won 102 games and the AL West.
“We’re striving for consistency – showing up to the ballpark, knowing that we’re expected to win,” Witt commented. “That’s how we need to prepare. We can’t approach the field with doubts. We must come ready to play and ready to win.”
Alec Marsh (2-0) allowed four runs in five innings. Pete Alonso hit solo homers in the third and sixth innings and finished with three RBIs for the Mets, who aimed to reach a .500 record for the first time this season.
Despite trailing 11-4 in the sixth, New York rallied, with the tying run on deck in the ninth, before Francisco Lindor grounded out against James McArthur, stranding two runners.
