Salvador Perez leads Royals past Astros 4-3 for 5th straight win

By DAVID SMALE Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a game-ending single in the 10th inning, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Houston Astros 4-3 on Tuesday night for their fifth consecutive victory.
Garrett Hampson began the Kansas City 10th on second as the automatic runner, replacing Vinnie Pasquantino. Hampson raced home when Perez led off the inning with a single to center against Wander Suero (0-1).
James McArthur (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the win.
Perez and Nelson Velázquez each had two hits for the Royals. Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel Garcia each drove in a run.
Yordan Alvarez had four hits and two RBIs for Houston, which had won two in a row. Jeremy Peña had two hits and scored a run.
The Astros loaded the bases with three straight singles to start the first inning, but Cole Ragans limited the damage to a run-scoring fielder’s choice for Yainer Diaz.
Alvarez singled in Peña with two out in the second, and then doubled home Mauricio Dubón in the fourth.
Ragans surrendered 10 hits in five innings for Kansas City. He struck out five and walked one.
Houston went 5 for 18 with runners in scoring position and left 13 runners on base.
Houston right-hander Cristian Javier was charged with three runs, two earned, and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked three.
Garcia’s sacrifice fly in the fifth stopped Javier’s scoreless streak at 15 innings to start the season. Witt drove in Hunter Renfroe with a two-out triple, and then scored on an error on third baseman Alex Bregman.
TRANSACTIONS
Astros: Placed LHP Framber Valdez on the 10-day injured list with left elbow inflammation. They selected the contract of Suero from Triple-A Sugar Land to take his place. The Astros also recalled LHP Parker Mushinski from Sugar Land and optioned RHP Blair Henley to the minors. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Astros transferred RHP Oliver Ortega to the 60-day IL.
Royals: Acquired RHP Colin Selby from Pittsburgh for minor league pitcher Connor Oliver. To make room on the 40-man roster for Selby, LHP Josh Taylor was moved to the 60-day IL. The Royals also signed RHP Zach Davies to a minor league deal.
UP NEXT
The Astros and Royals continue their three-game series Wednesday. Hunter Brown (0-1, 6.43 ERA) will pitch for Houston against Seth Lugo (1-0, 0.71 ERA).