Kansas City Royals bring back lefty bullpen arm; elevate key relief pitcher to final…
Salvador Perez highlighted a five-run, two-out rally in the eighth inning with a go-ahead double down the left-field line, and the Kansas City Royals went on to beat the Miami Marlins 5-1 on Wednesday to pick up the series win.
Angel Zerpa (1-0) got the final two outs of the eighth in relief of Brady Singer, who allowed an RBI single to Vidal Bruján in the second inning but little else on a sunny afternoon at Kauffman Stadium. James McArthur handled the ninth to finish it off.
“Just incredible,” Singer said. “For those guys to grind back, that’s how we’re going to win games.”
Indeed, Kansas City had been shut down by Valente Bellozo and the Miami bullpen until the eighth, when Bobby Witt Jr. started the rally with a triple off Huascar Brazoban (0-1). Vinnie Pasquantino followed with a tying single, and after pinch runner Dairon Blanco swiped second, Perez delivered the double that gave Kansas City the lead.
Nick Loftin added an RBI single and Freddy Fermin drove in two more runs to provide McArthur some breathing room.
“We had been pretty dead offensively,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Two outs, nobody on, right? Just the quality of what they were swinging at, too. The guys put some really good swings on it.”
The outbreak came after Kansas City had scored two runs or fewer in five of its last seven games.
“Momentum is huge, and that’s who we are,” Witt said. “It was just a matter of time.”
Singer allowed five hits and a walk while striking out five, though he again was victimized by poor run support: The Royals have scored two runs or fewer in 12 of his 16 starts, and he has not won since May 19 against Oakland.
“The efficiency of him was the most impressive thing,” said Quatraro, whose team had lost four straight series and been 2-7 in series-deciding games this season. “He wanted to keep going. He had it in his mind that he was going to carry us.”
