Salvador Perez drives Royals over Angels for fifth straight win

Salvador Perez drove in three runs and Paul DeJong homered to lead Kansas City past the visiting Los Angeles Angels 5-3 on Monday, the Royals’ fifth consecutive win.

In the opener of a three-game series, Perez began the scoring in the third inning with a two-out RBI single, and he added a two-run double in the seventh. Perez’s 85 RBIs rank seventh in the American League.

In the fourth inning, DeJong lined a two-run shot to left, his 21st homer of the year, expanding the Royals’ lead to 3-0. He also doubled, the second time in four games that he logged multiple extra-base hits.

The Angels put two runners on base in the first inning against Seth Lugo, who then retired 10 consecutive batters.

Lugo later set down eight straight before Los Angeles rallied with two outs in the seventh to score a pair on Jo Adell’s ringing double to left-center, cutting the deficit to 3-2.

In seven innings, Lugo (14-7) permitted two runs on four hits (all doubles) and three walks while striking out eight. He registered his 18th quality start, tied for fourth most in the major leagues. Lugo leads the majors with 166 2/3 innings pitched.

Los Angeles’ Zach Neto greeted reliever Kris Bubic with a first-pitch homer leading off the eighth, matching Adell for the team lead with his 18th home run.

In 34 games since July 9, Neto is hitting .314 with 16 extra-base hits and 23 RBIs.

Kansas City reliever John Schreiber, who was activated from the injured list prior to the game, allowed one hit in a scoreless ninth inning to earn his second save. Schreiber had missed three weeks due to a right knee injury.

Angels starter Carson Fullmer (0-4) pitched four innings, allowing three runs — two earned — on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts.

Logan O’Hoppe had two of the Angels’ six hits as Los Angeles lost its third straight. The Angels have scored fewer than four runs in seven consecutive games, and they lost six of those contests.

–Field Level Media