Perez and Cordero hammer four home runs in 12-3 win over Cardinals

The Royals and Cardinals faced off for the sixth and final time this season on Wednesday Night. Sparked by the “Magma Hot” Salvador Perez, Kansas City smacked St. Louis 12-3 to claim the rubber match and earn a split in the season series. It’s also the first series win over the Cardinals at Kauffman Stadium since 2015.

After failing to push across a run last night, the Royals didn’t waste time snapping their scoreless streak. In the bottom of the first, Perez belted a two-run homer over the batter’s eye in center field to make it 2-0.

Franchy Cordero, who was fresh off the 60-day Injured List for a broken hamate bone, joined the offensive action in the bottom of the second. With a runner at third base and one out, Cordero poked an RBI-single that deflected off Carlos Martínez’ glove.

The floodgates busted open in the home half of the third. Following a leadoff single from Whit Merrifield and a walk from Adalberto Mondesi, Perez roped his second home run of the night to deep left-center field. The three-run blast gave Perez five RBIs on the night and Kansas City a comfortable 6-0 lead.

On the mound, Danny Duffy stifled Cardinals hitters in his final start of 2020. After coughing up a four-run lead in his last outing in Milwaukee, the left-hander made sure not to repeat himself. He cruised through the first five innings and allowed just one run on four hits. Duffy exited with two outs in the sixth after loading the bases on a pair of hits and a walk. Scott Barlow came on and recorded the final out to keep the five-run lead intact.

For the first time since joining the Royals, Cordero flashed the mammoth power that has been raved about. On a 2-0 count, the 26-year-old blasted a three-run bomb to the Pepsi Porch in right-center field to give Kansas City a 9-1 lead in the sixth. Mondesi and Maikel Franco drove in a pair of runs on doubles to make it 11-1.

In the top of the seventh, Jakob Junis entered for his first appearance out of the bullpen this season. The right-hander struck out the side on 15 pitches with 11 strikes. In the bottom half, Cordero clubbed his second home run of the game 106 mph and 430 feet from home plate to add to the Royals’ double-digit lead. Mike Montgomery and Scott Blewett tossed the final two innings and secured Kansas City’s ninth win in its last 14 games.

The Royals, now 23-33, will wrap up the 2020 season with a four-game series against Detroit. Kris Bubic will face Michael Fulmer tomorrow night. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. CT FSKC.